International

Trump’s tariff decree disrupts venezuelan oil exports to China

Venezuelan crude oil shipments to its main buyer, China, came to a standstill on Tuesday following a decree by U.S. President Donald Trump, threatening tariffs on countries purchasing oil from Caracas. The move comes just days after Washington imposed sanctions on Chinese imports of Iranian oil.

Trump’s decree, which took traders and refiners in China by surprise, states that the U.S. may impose a 25% tariff on goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, at the discretion of the Secretary of State, starting April 2.

Chinese traders and refiners are now waiting to see how the decree will be implemented and whether Beijing will instruct them to stop buying. However, several industry sources believe that oil flows may continue, citing the frequent shifts in Trump’s tariff threats.

A senior executive at a Chinese firm that regularly trades Venezuelan oil said the company will refrain from purchasing any shipments in April. “The worst thing in the oil market is uncertainty. We don’t dare touch Venezuelan crude for now,” the executive told Reuters.

Another executive at an independent refinery that occasionally buys Venezuelan oil stated that the decree creates significant confusion and will also impact Singapore-based buyers of Venezuelan fuel oil.

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“It’s a total mess,” the executive said. “China is already in a trade war with the U.S. So be it.”

International

Maduro urges UN to intervene for venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador

Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term in January following his controversial re-election, urged United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to intervene on behalf of Venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador after being deported from the United States.

During a broadcast on the state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Maduro claimed these Venezuelans were “kidnapped”, forcibly disappeared, and held in “concentration camps.”

He also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for failing to release the list of migrants deported on March 16, who were allegedly accused of belonging to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua, which originated in a Venezuelan prison.

“Reports say there are 238 Venezuelans kidnapped in prisons, in concentration camps, in El Salvador. A week after they were taken and thrown into these camps, neither the U.S. government nor Nayib Bukele have published the list of those they have kidnapped in El Salvador,” Maduro stated, calling it a “forced disappearance.”

International

Canada updates U.S. travel advisory amid immigration policy changes

In a coordinated action with several European allies, Canada has updated its travel advisory for citizens visiting the United States, citing changes in immigration policies and law enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Finland have issued similar warnings, highlighting stricter border screenings, tighter visa restrictions, and new federal guidelines that particularly affect transgender and non-binary travelers.

These advisories reflect growing diplomatic concerns over how the recent U.S. policy shifts are impacting foreign visitors, especially tourists and long-term travelers. Additionally, this marks a rare instance in which multiple NATO allies publicly warn their citizens about travel to the United States.

International

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to meet with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on friday

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum next Friday.

According to statements made to Fox News, the Trump administration official will travel this week to El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico.

On Wednesday, Noem is scheduled to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, with whom she will tour the mega-prison built to detain gang members in the country.

On Thursday, she will visit Colombia, where she will hold talks with President Gustavo Petro and top law enforcement officials.

On Friday, Noem will be in Mexico, where she is expected to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente.