U.S. Orders Americans Depart Venezuela

(MENAFN) Washington issued an urgent directive on Saturday for American citizens to evacuate Venezuela without delay, pointing to escalating security concerns across the South American nation.

The US Embassy in Venezuela released a statement warning: "The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid," while reinforcing its standing advisories against traveling to the country.

Embassy officials cited "reports of groups of armed militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States."

The diplomatic mission urged immediate action, stating: "As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately," while advising Americans currently in-country to "remain vigilant and exercise caution" during transit.

The statement emphasized Venezuela's designation under the most severe travel warning: "Venezuela has the highest Travel Advisory level – Level 4: Do Not Travel – due to severe risks to Americans, including wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure."

Caracas Dismisses Security Warnings as Fabricated
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry rejected the American security alert, characterizing it as "based on non-existent accounts aimed at fabricating a perception of risk."

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil declared via US social media platform X that Venezuela maintains a state of "absolute calm, peace, and stability."

The escalating diplomatic tensions follow a January 3 military operation conducted by US forces in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

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