Executive Order 14245 positions Venezuelan oil imports as a national security issue by extending previous sanctions against the Maduro regime in Venezuela. The order explicitly links Venezuela's ongoing activities to threats against U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, particularly highlighting the activities of the Tren de Aragua gang, which the order describes as a Venezuelan-originating transnational criminal organization recently designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The order claims that the Maduro regime facilitated the infiltration of Tren de Aragua members into the United States during the prior administration through what it characterizes as "open-borders policies," framing these actions as part of Venezuela's broader destabilizing activities in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, the order reaffirms the continued applicability of previous Venezuela-related sanctions established in Executive Orders 13692, 13808, 13850, and 13884.
The executive order authorizes a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported into the United States from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, whether directly or indirectly through third parties, effective April 2, 2025. These tariffs would be supplemental to any existing duties already imposed under various trade authorities. The Secretary of State, in consultation with other cabinet officials, is granted discretion to determine which oil-importing countries will face the tariff. Once imposed, the 25 percent tariff would automatically expire one year after a country's last Venezuelan oil import, though the Secretary of Commerce may terminate it earlier. The order specifically mentions that if tariffs are imposed on China, they will also apply to Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions to prevent evasion through transshipment.
The implementation process assigns specific responsibilities to multiple agencies. The Secretary of State coordinates the tariff imposition with Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, and the U.S. Trade Representative. Meanwhile, the Commerce Secretary is authorized to determine whether countries have imported Venezuelan oil, issue necessary regulations and guidance, coordinate compliance across executive departments, and take additional implementing actions. The order establishes a formal review mechanism requiring the Secretaries of State and Commerce to submit assessment reports to the President every 180 days evaluating the tariffs' effectiveness and the Maduro regime's conduct. The order carefully defines "Venezuelan oil" to include all crude oil or petroleum products from Venezuela regardless of the entities involved in production or sale, and specifies that "indirect" imports include those routed through intermediaries or third countries where the origin can reasonably be traced to Venezuela.