The U.S. government has issued a stern warning advising its citizens against traveling to Venezuela under any circumstances. The country has been assigned the highest Travel Advisory level, Level 4: Do Not Travel, due to several severe risks including wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and inadequate health infrastructure.
The advisory notes that more U.S. nationals are currently wrongfully detained in Venezuela than in any other nation. Other foreign nationals also face frequent unjust detentions. Consequently, the U.S. Department of State urges all American citizens currently in Venezuela to leave immediately.
Several key points underscore the severity of the situation:
- There is no operational U.S. embassy or consulate within Venezuela, which limits the government's ability to provide routine or emergency consular services to Americans there.
- The borders between Venezuela and Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana are not clearly demarcated in many areas. This poses a risk of accidental border crossings into Venezuelan territory where individuals may be detained.
- U.S. citizens face extreme risks of detention upon entering Venezuela at any location and may be unjustly charged with serious crimes such as terrorism.
- Detained U.S. citizens often find themselves without access to communication with family members or private attorneys since Venezuelan authorities do not inform the U.S. government about these detentions nor allow visits.
In light of these circumstances, the Department of State recommends immediate departure for all American citizens currently residing in Venezuela and advises avoiding all Venezuelan borders.
For further information and guidance on this matter, individuals are encouraged to review the full Travel Advisory for Venezuela.