US urges citizens to leave Venezuela immediately and not to travel to the country
The security situation in Venezuela remains unstable. the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, has once again warned American citizens against travelling to Venezuela and recommended that those already in the country leave as soon as possible. The warnings have been in place since 2019.
As international flights resume, US citizens are advised to take advantage of available flights and leave the country immediately.
Americans are urged to observe increased security measures and be attentive to their surroundings before travelling. There have been reports of armed groups known as "collectivos" setting up roadblocks, stopping vehicles and checking drivers and passengers for US citizenship or support for the United States. In this regard, U.S. citizens are advised to exercise extreme caution when travelling on the roads.
In addition, there are power outages and utility outages throughout Venezuela.
Venezuela has the highest level of travel warning - Level 4: Do Not Travel - due to serious risks to U.S. citizens, including unlawful detention, torture in detention, terrorist threats, kidnapping, arbitrary application of local laws, high crime rates, civil unrest, and a weak healthcare system.
In March 2019, the US Department of State completely withdrew diplomatic personnel from the embassy in Caracas and suspended its operations. Since then, all consular services in Venezuela - both scheduled and emergency - have remained unavailable, and the US government has been unable to provide assistance to its citizens in the country.
The US authorities emphasise that US citizens who decide to stay in Venezuela should prepare contingency plans in advance, establish several channels of communication with relatives abroad and take care of their own safety, as emergency assistance from the US is not possible.
