(RepublicanView.org) – The US State Department is once again warning American citizens to avoid visiting the South American country of Venezuela.
The Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory, the State Department’s highest designation, has been issued again after “routine periodic review,” according to the government travel website. The department warns that Venezuela is being gripped by violence, murders, robbery, kidnapping, and poor healthcare. It also warned that civil unrest can rise suddenly without warning. US officials are limited in their ability to assist Americans, especially after operations in its embassy were suspended in 2019. That means the American government is unable to provide any assistance to Americans in the nation.
However, criminal gangs are not the only threat facing Americans in Venezuela. The government has also apprehended US citizens, sometimes wrongfully detaining them for up to five years. Officials often fail to alert the US government of its citizens being detained.
Venezuela has been thrust into chaos as President Nicolás Maduro, the nation’s socialist dictator, seeks reelection in July. The country has been grappling with an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to violent protests against his regime.
Maduro is campaigning against Edmundo Gonzalez, an independent with extensive diplomatic experience.
Additionally, the State Department is warning of a threat posed by terrorist groups from Columbia that have begun operating along Venezuela’s borders, eager to profit from the chaos.
The renewed warning comes just a month after the US government issued new sanctions against Venezuela, a member of OPEC. They accused the country of refusing to implement measures to secure fair elections.
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