Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro condemns new U.S. tariffs as ‘economic warfare’ while touting 4.5% growth and social spending at hospital reopening ceremony.

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“Venezuela Will Overcome Economic War and Sanctions” President Maduro

Against a backdrop of escalating economic and political tensions, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has issued strong statements condemning what the economic war waged by the United States against his country and the wider world.

Speaking during the reopening of the Eudoro González Type 1 Hospital in Carayaca, La Guaira state, President Maduro claimed this economic assault was being orchestrated at the behest of opposition figure María Machado and directed by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

The Venezuelan leader specifically referenced recent U.S. announcements imposing 15% tariffs on Venezuelan goods sold in American territory, which he characterized as a deliberate attempt to damage Venezuela’s economy. Despite these challenges, Presdident Maduro struck an optimistic tone, highlighting Venezuela’s 4.5% economic growth during the first quarter of 2025 and corresponding increases in tax revenue.

President Maduro emphasized that these fiscal resources are being reinvested in public welfare projects, citing improvements in healthcare, education, and worker incomes. “Where does the tax money go? Here it’s being transformed into Bricomiles [neighborhood infrastructure projects], into health care, into education,” he declared, asserting that economic growth is yielding tangible benefits for citizens.

The president also criticized broader U.S. economic policies, arguing they negatively impact not just Venezuela but the global economy.

He referenced former President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs—including 34% on Chinese goods and 20% on EU products—as evidence of destabilizing U.S. trade practices.

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