United States Warns Americans Not To Travel To Venezuela As Tensions Rise

Venezuela’s top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, talks to reporters in Caracas on Tuesday. He announced that Juan Guaidó, now President Nicolás Maduro’s most prominent opponent, is barred from leaving the country because of an investigatio

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The State Department warned Americans on Tuesday not to travel to Venezuela, citing crime, civil unrest and the arbitrary detention of U.S. citizens. It came the same day that Venezuela’s top prosecutor announced that the opposition leader, whom the United States supports, is being investigated and barred from leaving the country.

“Security forces have arbitrarily detained U.S. citizens for long periods,” the travel advisory stated. “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 warning was released in the aftermath of protests racking Venezuela and as tensions between Washington and Caracas have escalated after President Trump voiced support for Juan Guaidó.