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In a stark and unprecedented escalation, the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela has issued one of its strongest travel warnings in years, bluntly urging all U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to leave Venezuela immediately and advising others: “Do not travel to Venezuela for any reason.”
The advisory, published on the Embassy’s website, reads less like a routine travel notice and more like an emergency alert for a nation teetering on the edge of complete instability.

At the center of the warning is a chilling assessment: U.S. nationals in Venezuela face a “very high risk” of wrongful detention, torture, kidnapping, terrorism exposure, and violent crime, with the U.S. government acknowledging it has no ability to rescue, assist, or even communicate with detained Americans.

A COUNTRY WHERE THE U.S. CANNOT HELP YOU

According to the Embassy, all diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from Caracas in March 2019, leaving Americans effectively without a lifeline. No consular services exist. No emergency support. No way for detained U.S. nationals to reach family members. No ability for U.S. officials to confirm who has been arrested, where they are being held, or whether they are still alive.

The advisory details harrowing accounts from former detainees and human rights organizations, describing severe beatings, stress-position torture, waterboarding, and prolonged isolation inside Venezuelan detention facilities. In some cases, U.S. citizens were detained for up to five years without due process.

A SECURITY LANDSCAPE IN COLLAPSE

Violent crime is rampant, with homicides, kidnappings, armed robberies, and carjackings described as “common.”
Political protests — often spontaneous — routinely escalate into chaos as state security forces unleash tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and brutal crackdowns against demonstrators. These clashes frequently spill over into looting, vandalism, and street blockades, creating unpredictable and dangerous environments for everyone.

Compounding the crisis is the presence of Colombian terrorist groups operating freely along Venezuela’s porous borders with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana — a reality that introduces additional layers of risk, including armed conflict and cross-border criminal activity.

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN FREEFALL

Venezuela continues to face crippling shortages of gasoline, electricity, potable water, medicine, and medical supplies, leaving even short-term travelers vulnerable to medical emergencies without hope of treatment.

THE FINAL WORD: LEAVE NOW

The Embassy’s directive is unambiguous and absolute:

“Anyone with U.S. citizenship or U.S. residency status in Venezuela should leave the country immediately.”

No exceptions. No caveats. No safety net.
A nation once celebrated for its vibrancy and culture is now described, bluntly, as a place where Americans risk disappearance, torture, and death — and no help will come.

Full advisory: (U.S. Embassy Venezuela Travel Advisory)

https://ve.usembassy.gov/venezuela-travel-advisory/