American travelers are being urged to immediately leave Venezuela and keep away. The US State Department has renewed its warning against travel to the country, citing "severe risks" for American citizens. The updated advisory, released Tuesday, points to dangers including wrongful detention, kidnapping, torture, and a lack of embassy support, per CBS News. The department stresses that it currently has no embassy or consulate that can provide help to Americans in the country, who are at "extreme risk" of being detained upon entry. The advisory says those detained may be unjustly charged with terrorism or other serious crimes, often facing lengthy detention.
The department also urged Americans to avoid Venezuela's borders with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana, noting there have been wrongful detentions when Americans unknowingly crossed into Venezuela from neighboring countries—a risk heightened by sometimes unclear border markers. Travel to Venezuela has been discouraged for years. The State Department has maintained its highest-level advisory (Level 4) since at least March 2019, following the suspension of its embassy operations in Caracas. The warning remains under periodic review.
The risk is compounded by Venezuela's failure to report detentions of American citizens, which prevents US officials from visiting detainees or intervening in their cases. Once detained, Americans reportedly cannot reach family or private lawyers. "More US nationals are currently wrongfully detained in Venezuela than in any other country," the advisory notes. The State Department also outlined other issues travelers could face, including arbitrary law enforcement, civil unrest, and a fragile health infrastructure. The department's global advisory map shows Venezuela among the countries with the most stringent warnings. If you do have to travel there, officials suggest hiring a professional security detail, per Fox News. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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