Is it safe to travel to Venezuela? Here’s what you need to know

The Latin American country is in a state of crisis

The political crisis in Venezuela has led to mass demonstrations across the country, and opposition leader Juan Guaido has declared himself interim president in the crisis-hit Latin American nation.

Is it safe to travel to Venezuela right now? Here’s what you need to know.

Is it safe to travel to Venezuela?

Not right now.

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all but essential travel to most of Venezuela and all travel to areas along the Colombian and Brazilian borders.

Its advice states: “The FCO advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of Venezuela, due to ongoing crime and instability. If you’re in Venezuela, you should keep your departure options under review. If the political situation worsens, the British embassy may be limited in the assistance that it can provide.”

The FCO advises visitors to remain “vigilant and informed”, and to avoid all protests, as authorities could use tear gas and plastic pellets to disperse crowds. If the protests are prolonged, the FCO says, tourists should prepare themselves by stockpiling “several days’ worth” of food and water.

The US State Department has issued a level 3 “reconsider travel” alert, due to “crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of US citizens”. It has ordered that all non-essential US government employees leave the country.

There is a level 4 “do not travel” alert active on: roads outside Caracas, the capital, after dark; certain Caracas neighbourhoods; and within 50 miles of the Colombian border.

The Canadian government’s advice is much the same, advising its citizens to avoid non-essential travel due to “significant level of violent crime, the unstable political and economic situations and the decline in basic living conditions, including shortages of medication, food staples and water”.

It adds: “Venezuela has one of the world’s highest homicide rates. Murder and other violent crimes are pervasive throughout the country. Organised criminal groups and gangs are rampant. Many criminals carry firearms, and victims are often injured or killed for failing to cooperate.

“Authorities (e.g. police, airport, immigration) have harassed and extorted money from travellers. If you experience such problems, report the incident to the Canadian embassy in Caracas.

“Police response times are poor or non-existent in most parts of the country, and most reported crimes don’t result in prosecution.”

Colin Stewart, chairman of the Latin American Travel Association, added: “The political crisis in Venezuela has led to mass demonstrations across the country and the situation is volatile.

“As such, we would urge travellers to follow Foreign Office guidelines which at present are to avoid all but essential travel to Venezuela. This also extends to travel within 80km of the Colombian border and 40km of the Brazilian border.

At LATA, we hope for a peaceful resolution in Venezuela that leads to social and economic reform.”

Can I cross the border from Colombia or Brazil?

The FCO advises against all travel within 80km of the Colombian border and 40km of the Brazilian border. “Drug traffickers and illegal armed groups are active along the border area with Colombia and Brazil and there is a risk of kidnapping”, says the FCO.

The border between Venezuela and Colombia has been closed to car traffic, but is currently open to foot passengers, says the FCO.

Is it safe to visit neighbouring countries, like Colombia or Brazil?

Colombia is broadly safe to visit, and a traditional tourist itinerary to capital Bogota and cities Medellin and Cartagena is considered safe by the FCO. However, the FCO does warn against travel to much of the country, including swathes of the areas bordering Venezuela and Ecuador.

The situation is much the same in Brazil, and most visits to South America’s largest country by UK tourists are trouble-free despite the high crime rates.

However, the FCO advises that: “There is an increased risk of unrest in the border region with Venezuela where tensions are running high over immigration. Brazil’s land border with Venezuela may be closed at short notice. You should monitor local media for updates and advice.”

I have a holiday to Venezuela booked – can I cancel it and claim any money back?

The typical insurance policy wording rejects any claim “arising as a result of your travel to a country or specific area or event to which the Travel Advice Unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the World Health Organisation has advised the public not to travel”.

This does not apply if the warning was issued after the traveller arrived in the country, but they will be expected to make arrangements to leave rather than remain exposed to risk.

What if I’m going to on a Caribbean cruise – will I be at risk?

Go back a quarter-century and Venezuela was the first taste of South America for many thousands of British visitors each year: the national airline, Viasa, was the standard route to the continent, and plenty of travellers took advantage of the free stopovers on offer in Caracas to explore the Caribbean beaches, dramatic landscapes and colonial towns.

As recently as five years ago, the beleaguered nation hosted Thomson cruise ships – which called at the beautiful and intriguing island of Margarita.

However, almost no Caribbean itineraries visit Venezuela now. Its nearest Caribbean neighbour is the island of Trinidad, which at its nearest point is just 11 kilometres from Venezuela.