U.S.โฃ Issues Urgent โTravel Warning forโ Venezuela, โAdvising Citizens to Depart Instantly
WASHINGTON โ- The U.S.State Department issued โaโข stark travel alert for Venezuelaโ on Thursday, urgingโ all U.S. โขcitizens to leave the countryโข immediately due toโค security concerns. The warning cites โคthe presence of Colombian โฃterrorist groups operating inโค border regions and the risk ofโค kidnapping or detention, even providing guidance on establishing a “proof of life” protocol for potential hostage situations.
Theโ alertโข comes amid heightened tensionsโ andโ an โunprecedentedโ U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, signaling a โฃmeaningful escalation in Washington’s concern over the volatile situation โin Venezuela. Whileโฃ the Venezuelan government confirmed a recent “cordial” conversationโ between President Nicolรกs โขMaduro and President Donald Trump, the U.S. โpresident characterized the exchange as simply “a call.” The travel โadvisory impacts the estimated number of American citizens โresiding in or traveling โto Venezuela, and underscores the deteriorating securityโค landscape within โฃthe South โAmerican nation.
According to the State Department,terrorist โgroups operating โin areas bordering Colombia,Brazil,and Guyana pose a threat to the safety of North Americans in Venezuela. The advisoryโฃ specifically details measures U.S. citizens shoudl take if kidnapped or detained, including โdeveloping โคa pre-arranged “proof of life” โprotocol with โขfamily members.โค This protocol involves establishing specific questions and answers to be used with potential captors to verify continued well-being.
“This plan should include a ‘proof of life’ protocol with your loved ones so that if you areโค taken hostage, detained, or โฃtortured, your loved ones know what โspecific questions (and answers) to โask your kidnappers to confirm that you are โstill alive,” the alert โขstates.
