‘More U.S. citizens are currently wrongfully detained in Venezuela than in any other country,’ the State Department warned.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for American citizens visiting Venezuela, warning of a significant and growing risk of wrongful detention in the South American country.
In a May 27 statement, the department said it assigned the highest level advisory to the country due to this and other severe risks, including “torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, unfair law enforcement practices, violent crime, civil unrest, and inadequate healthcare.”
There is currently no U.S. embassy or consulate operating in Venezuela. As a result, the State Department said Venezuelan authorities do not notify the U.S. government when American citizens are detained.
The department said, “More U.S. citizens are currently wrongfully detained in Venezuela than in any other country.”
The South American country does not allow U.S. officials to visit detained Americans, and detainees are often denied legal counsel or access to their families, according to the State Department.
“Venezuelan security forces have detained U.S. citizens for up to five years without respect to due process, in harsh conditions—including torture—frequently based solely on their U.S. nationality or U.S. Passport,” the State Department said.
U.S. embassies in Colombia, Brazil, and other nations have issued similar security warnings about the risk of travel, asking those in the area to “avoid all Venezuelan borders.”
“Dual citizenship, a Venezuelan visa, past travel to Venezuela, or a job in Venezuela does not protect U.S. national travelers,” the State Department’s alert states. “Every American is at risk of being detained by [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro’s regime.
Any American citizens currently in Venezuela have been advised to leave immediately.
“Anyone with U.S. citizenship or any other U.S. residency status in Venezuela should leave the country immediately, including those traveling on Venezuelan or other foreign passports,” the State Department said. “Do not travel to Venezuela for any reason.
