More U.S. nationals wrongfully detained in Venezuela than anywhere else: State Department
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The U.S. Department of State sign in Washington, D.C. Photo: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The State Department on Tuesday warned citizens against any travel to Venezuela, where it says more U.S. nationals are currently wrongfully detained than in any other country.
The big picture: The department has ramped up its warnings to Americans not to travel to the South American country, urging citizens earlier this month to prepare a will if they plan to travel there.
Driving the news: The department has assigned its highest travel advisory level — do not travel — for Venezuela, citing in its Tuesday media release the "severe risks" of wrongful detention, torture while in custody, kidnapping and other threats.
- U.S. embassies in Colombia, Brazil and other South American countries issued security warnings Tuesday.
- U.S. citizens are at "extreme risk of detention" when entering Venezuela and could be "unjustly charged" with serious crimes, like terrorism, and detained for a long period of time, the warnings said.
- "There is no safe way for Americans to travel to Venezuela," the security alerts stressed.
The State Department did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
What they're saying: "Dual citizenship, a Venezuelan visa, past travel to Venezuela, or a job in Venezuela does not protect U.S. national travelers," the State Department's alert read. "Every American is at risk of being detained by [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro's regime."
- It further urged any U.S. citizens currently in Venezuela to leave immediately.
There is currently no U.S. Embassy or consulate operating in Venezuela.
- The State Department has warned against traveling to Venezuela for years and announced the temporary suspension of operations of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel in March 2019.
Catch up quick: Several American citizens have been detained in Venezuela, including two people who Maduro said in January, ahead of his inauguration following a disputed election, were part of a group of "mercenaries."
- In September, Venezuela said three U.S. citizens had been arrested alongside three others over an alleged U.S.-sponsored plot to kill Maduro. The State Department rejected allegations of CIA involvement.
- Six American prisoners came home from Venezuela earlier this year after Richard Grenell, a special envoy, met with Maduro. Another American, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was also released this month.
Zoom out: Tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants have fled to the U.S. amid years of political and economic turmoil.
- But the Supreme Court last week cleared the path for the Trump administration to strip temporary deportation protections from more than 300,000 Venezuelans.
- The administration has zeroed in on Maduro's regime, seeking to tie him to criminal gang activity as it invokes wartime authority to deport undocumented people with little or no due process.
- But a recent intelligence memo first shared with the New York Times found that the regime is likely not directing criminal gang Tren de Aragua's movements to and operations within the U.S.
Go deeper: Gabbard fires National Intelligence Council officials after Venezuela report
