Travel advice for Venezuela

Australia advises avoiding all travel for Venezuela.

Avoid all travel to Venezuela because heightened insecurity, political and economic instability, pervasive violent crime, arbitrary detention, and shortages of medication, gasoline and water create serious risks. Armed groups operate near Colombia, while smuggling and drug trafficking occur near Guyana and Brazil. Violent crime is especially frequent in Caracas, its barrios and the dangerous Simón Bolívar airport area, where foreigners face kidnapping, robbery, and deceptive money exchangers and taxi drivers.

Avoid all travel to Venezuela because of insecurity and limited airline operations. Anyone already there should consider leaving if safe. Earthquakes caused severe damage, especially in La Guaira, while armed robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, demonstrations and border violence are risks. Security forces are scarce near the Brazilian, Colombian and Guyanese borders, while food and medicine shortages and unavailable medical treatment create risks, and the Caracas to Maiquetía airport route is dangerous.

Defer all travel to Venezuela because of casualties, electricity disruptions and a heightened military and security presence around government and military sites, with consular assistance limited. Those already there should remain vigilant, follow local authorities and avoid large crowds, protests and demonstrations. Violent crime, unstable politics and the economy, shortages of food, water and medicine, limited medical facilities, mosquito-borne disease, heavy rain, hurricanes and earthquakes add risks.

Avoid all travel to Venezuela because violent crime, armed robbery, kidnapping and piracy pose serious risks amid unrest. Earthquakes caused severe damage, power and telephone outages and a temporary Caracas airport closure, with further aftershocks possible. Travel near the Colombian border is completely discouraged, including the border zone across Zulia, Tachira, Apure, Bolívar and Amazonas, the area south of Puerto Ayacucha and border areas elsewhere along the frontier.

Avoid all travel to Venezuela within 20 kilometres of the border with Colombia. For the rest of the country, avoid non-essential travel.

Avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela because of political instability, demonstrations, kidnapping, violent crime, economic and medical shortages, and earthquake devastation west of Caracas. Do not travel to border regions with Colombia, Brazil or Guyana, or to Guaira. Armed robbery, murder and piracy affect Margarita, while Porlamar centre is especially dangerous. Avoid night driving, damaged buildings, demonstrations and poorer areas, and use official airport taxis at Caracas airport.

Avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela, particularly because of the aftermath of the 24 June earthquakes and high insecurity. All travel is advised against in the border areas with Colombia and Brazil, where armed groups, drug gangs and smugglers operate and kidnapping is a risk. Nationwide, demonstrations may turn violent, arbitrary arrests can affect foreigners, and crime is high; avoid all demonstrations.

Avoid nonessential travel throughout Venezuela because of attacks on military facilities near Caracas, political tensions and disrupted international flights, although tensions have eased and some foreign airlines have resumed services. Do not travel to Táchira State, the Arco Minero mining area, the named border zones in Bolívar, Apure and Amazonas, and the Paria Peninsula, while Maracaibo City and eastern Zulia remain at the lower travel level.

Avoid travel that is not essential to Venezuela because the security situation is unpredictable and violent crime is widespread. Do not travel to areas marked red, where armed gangs, traffickers, gunfights, abductions, robberies, and killings occur; travel to orange areas only when essential. Avoid La Guaira because aftershocks may follow severe earthquakes. In Caracas, avoid barrios, demonstrations, and crowds, follow local authorities, and remain alert.

Reconsider travel to Venezuela because crime, kidnapping, terrorism, a severe health-care crisis, and earthquake damage create risks. Armed groups may attack without warning; unregulated taxis from the Caracas airport, nearby ATMs, and nighttime intercity travel are risky. Rural and remote areas lack medicines, medical staff, water, and electricity and face common mosquito-borne diseases. Do not travel to the Colombia border region or the named states because of crime, kidnapping, or terrorism.

Germany advises a high degree of caution for Venezuela, and avoiding all travel for parts of it.

Exercise caution in Venezuela and avoid all but essential travel to parts of the country; some parts are subject to a full travel ban. Visa overstaying may lead to fines or arrest, and children can be denied exit without a parental travel permit. Entry from Brazil requires yellow fever certification; crime, including rape and sexual assault, and health risks such as yellow fever and dengue are also identified.

Avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela because a recent armed attack, violent crime, political unrest, and earthquake damage create significant security risks. Economic crisis, inflation, and shortages of food and medicines have weakened public security. Be especially cautious in the interior, as security has improved in Caracas, surrounding areas, and some larger cities. Check regional conditions and flight arrangements before travel, and avoid political activities that could be seen as provocation.