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Venezuela

US Revised Tariffs (%)

15

Ease of doing business

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Revised Tariff %
Original Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
15
15
12.8
1
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
4.23
5.99
-1.76

Implications

The geopolitical landscape for Venezuela has shifted dramatically in early 2026. Following a major U.S. military operation and the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, the U.S. is transitioning from a policy of "maximum pressure" to one of "selective control."


While many traditional sanctions remain on the books, the focus has pivoted toward direct U.S. management of Venezuelan oil flows and revenues.


1. Latest U.S. Tariffs & Sanctions Update (January 2026)

The U.S. administration has introduced a dual-track policy: maintaining strict "quarantines" on unauthorized trade while opening "selective" windows for U.S. interests.


  • 100% Tariff Threat: As of late January 2026, President Trump has threatened 100% tariffs on countries (specifically mentioning Canada) that bypass U.S. trade protocols or enter into independent deals with U.S. adversaries involving Venezuelan resources.

  • The 25% "Oil Importer" Tariff: Effective April 2025, a 25% tariff remains in place for any country importing Venezuelan oil without U.S. authorization.

  • Executive Order 14373 (Jan 9, 2026): This new order shields all Venezuelan oil revenue held in U.S. Treasury accounts from creditors. It effectively "nationalizes" the proceeds of Venezuelan oil sales under U.S. custody to ensure they are used for "stabilization" rather than debt repayment.

  • Selective Rollbacks: The Department of Energy has begun issuing specific licenses to allow the import of U.S. oil-field equipment and parts to restart production in the Orinoco Belt.


2. Major Companies Impacted


The impact is split between those "waiting at the gates" to enter and those currently blocked by the legal transition.

Company / Sector

Impact Status

Nature of Impact

Chevron

Positive / High

Transitioning from "wind-down" mode back to active management of joint ventures under new U.S. oversight.

Halliburton / SLB

Expanding

Authorizations are being drafted to allow these service providers to repair crumbling infrastructure.

PDVSA

Critical / Blocked

The state-owned giant is under "de facto" U.S. administration; its leadership is currently in flux.

CITGO

Protected

E.O. 14373 prevents creditors from seizing CITGO assets, keeping the refiner under U.S.-aligned control.

Reliance / ONGC

Restricted

Non-U.S. companies previously trading with Venezuela face high secondary sanction risks unless they clear transactions through the U.S. Treasury.

3. GDP Impact


The Venezuelan economy has undergone nearly a decade of contraction, losing an estimated 213% of its GDP in oil revenue between 2017 and 2024 due to sanctions.


  • 2025 Retrospective: GDP remained stagnant as the "maximum pressure" campaign peaked.

  • 2026 Forecast: Analysts expect a "bounce-back" effect if the U.S. successfully restarts oil production. However, because the U.S. is currently seizing and selling oil to hold in restricted accounts, the domestic GDP growth may remain decoupled from oil wealth until a permanent government is seated.

  • Hyperinflation: While the USD is the de facto currency, local prices remain volatile due to the disruption of the January 2026 military intervention.


4. SWOT Analysis: Venezuela 2026 (U.S. Transition Era)

Strengths

Weaknesses

* Largest proven oil reserves in the world.


* Strategic proximity to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.


* Infrastructure exists (though dilapidated) for rapid scale-up.

* Severe infrastructure decay (power/water/oil wells).


* Massive brain drain (over 7 million refugees).


* Over-reliance on a single export (oil).

Opportunities

Threats

* Modernization through U.S. tech and investment.


* Potential for massive debt restructuring under U.S. protection.


* Integration into the North American energy supply chain.

* Political instability/insurgency post-Maduro.


* Secondary sanctions on global partners causing trade friction.


* Risk of becoming a permanent "ward" of the U.S. Treasury.


US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Trade.Gov Fact Sheet

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

Sources : ForbesUSDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia International Trade Administration

theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

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