ESCALATING

State Department Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Advisory for Venezuela

The advisory cites “crime, civil unrest... and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens.”

The U.S. State Department issued a level four travel advisory for Venezuela Tuesday, urging people not to travel to the country, citing “crime, civil unrest... and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens.” According to the advisory, Venezuelan security forces have “arbitrarily detained U.S. citizens for long periods.” “Venezuelan authorities may not notify the U.S. Embassy of the detention of a U.S. citizen, and consular access to detainees may be denied or severely delayed,” the notice adds.

The State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees from Venezuela on January 24. The Trump administration has supported a coup in the country against President Nicolas Maduro. Vice President Mike Pence publicly backed the new self-proclaimed interim leader Juan Guaido, calling Maduro “a dictator with no legal power.” Hours later, Maduro told thousands of his supporters that the opposition’s attempted political coup was the the work of the United States. On Monday, national security adviser John Bolton said that president Trump believes “all options are on the table” when it comes to Venezuela, including military action. 

UH WHAT

Trump Open to U.S. Forces in Venezuela, Says John Bolton

Victoria Albert