The United States has warned its citizens not to travel to Venezuela and advised those already in the country to shelter in place, citing extreme security risks following what President Donald Trump described as a “large scale strike” against the South American nation.
In a security alert issued on January 3, the US Embassy in Bogotá said it was aware of reports of explosions in and around the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. The embassy reiterated that Venezuela remains under a Level 4 travel advisory — the highest warning level — and urged US citizens to avoid all travel to the country.
The advisory highlights serious risks to Americans, including wrongful detention, torture in custody, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, violent crime, civil unrest and poor health infrastructure. A State Department notice issued on December 3 said all US citizens in Venezuela were strongly advised to leave immediately.
The warning comes amid sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. On Saturday, Trump claimed that American forces had captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro following what he said was a major military operation.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States had “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela” and that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country”. Trump did not provide further details and has said he would address the media later.
US media outlets, including CBS News and Fox News, reported that unnamed officials in the Trump administration had confirmed the involvement of US forces, with CBS saying the operation was ordered directly by the president. There has been no independent confirmation of Maduro’s reported capture, and Venezuelan authorities have not issued an official response.
Explosions reported in Caracas followed months of escalating US military and economic pressure on Maduro’s leftist government and Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. The United States has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and of rigging elections, allegations the Venezuelan leader has repeatedly denied. Maduro has accused Washington of seeking to seize control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
The US has significantly expanded its naval and aerial presence in the Caribbean, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and several other warships. As part of what Washington has described as an oil blockade, US forces have seized two tankers at sea and carried out aerial strikes targeting small boats accused of drug trafficking, operations that reportedly killed more than 100 people.
Trump has cited multiple reasons for his campaign against Venezuela, including allegations that the country is a major source of drugs entering the United States and claims that US oil interests were seized by Caracas. While he has not explicitly called for Maduro’s removal, the US — along with several European governments — does not recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president. In December, Trump said it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down and added that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered”.
The reported attack on Caracas came two days after Maduro sought to engage with Trump, offering cooperation on combating drug trafficking and illegal migration. Earlier this week, Trump said US forces had destroyed a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug boats, in what would be the first confirmed strike on Venezuelan soil during the pressure campaign. Maduro has not commented on that claim.
US officials urged citizens to avoid travel to the country, shelter in place if already there, maintain multiple lines of communication with family and friends outside Venezuela, and leave as soon as it is safe to do so.
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