(MENAFN) Leader Donald Trump revealed on Monday that he would be imposing a "secondary" tariff on Venezuela, citing accusations that the country secretly sent tens of thousands of gang members to the United States.

Trump stated that Venezuela "has been very hostile to the United States" and had dispatched "tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature" to the U.S.

This includes members of the Tren de Aragua street gang, which Trump designated as a terrorist organization in January.

Trump further explained the reasoning behind the tariff in a post on his social media platform, saying, "The United States of America will be putting what is known as a Secondary Tariff on the Country of Venezuela, for numerous reasons, including the fact that Venezuela has purposefully and deceitfully sent to the United States, undercover, tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature."

He also mentioned the involvement of the Tren de Aragua gang, which has been labeled a "Foreign Terrorist Organization." Trump added, "We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela — It is a big task!"

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