'Prepare a will': State Dept. updates threatening travel warning

The advisory was reissued to 'emphasize the extreme danger.'

May 15, 2025 - 15:54

'Prepare a will': State Dept. updates threatening travel warning

As of May 2025, the highest "do not travel" advisory rating is assigned to 21 countries.

To inform citizens of the risk of traveling abroad, the U.S. State Department relies on a four-tier system in which the highest level is reserved for active war zones, authoritarian governments, and countries with which the United States lacks diplomatic relations.

Since Russian troops breached Ukrainian territory in February 2022, both countries have been elevated to level four to reflect the war. Other nations to be under a "do not travel" rating for years include Syria, Lebanon, South Sudan, North Korea, and Venezuela — in the latter case, Hugo Chavez's rise to power in the 1990s has led to widespread political repressions, instability, and crime fueled by hyperinflation.

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'Depart immediately,' new government travel advisory reads

On May 12, the State Department has reissued its travel warning for the latter country to "emphasize the extreme danger to U.S. citizens." The U.S. officially severed diplomatic ties and pulled its diplomats out of the Caracas embassy after President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner in a highly contested election in 2019.

"Do not travel to or remain in Venezuela due to the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure," the new travel advisory now states in bold font at the top of the State Department's page for Venezuela. "All U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in Venezuela are strongly advised to depart immediately."

Taking things in an even more alarmist and unprecedented direction, the State Department page now also tells anyone who still chooses to travel or remain in Venezuela to "prepare a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney."

The warning also states that citizens may "consider hiring a professional security organization" and "should not rely on U.S. government assistance."

Even so, the Maduro government reported that 1,588,000 foreign tourists came to Venezuela in 2023. Most traveled from nearby South American countries in what was a 108% spike from the previous year.

Prior to the long string of political instability, Angel Falls was a popular tourist destination in Venezuela.
Image source: Shutterstock

Why did the State Department update its travel advisory to be even more alarmist?

Prior to the long string of political crises and government crackdowns dating back to the 1990s, Venezuela was a popular tourist destination. Its most famous natural landmark, Angel Falls, is the largest uninterrupted waterfall in the world.

The State Department last updated its travel warning for Venezuela in September 2024. The new advisory was reissued to be even more alarmist amid a spike in tensions under the Trump administration.

More on travel:

The severing of diplomatic relations occurred during Trump's first term, while more recently, Maduro threatened to reject flights bringing back deported Venezuelan citizens after the U.S. Treasury Department revoked Chevron (CVX) 's right to export Venezuelan oil.

"The U.S. government is not generally informed of the detention of U.S. citizens in Venezuela nor is it permitted to visit U.S. national detainees in Venezuela," the added section now reads. "The U.S. government has no way to contact U.S. nationals detained in Venezuela, and those detained are not allowed to contact family members or independent legal counsel."