US warns Americans against travel to Venezuela

WASHINGTON

The US warned Americans against travel to Venezuela, the State Department said Tuesday.

The Department assigned Venezuela its highest travel alert, Level 4: Do Not Travel, due to "severe risks including wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, unfair law enforcement practices, violent crime, civil unrest, and inadequate healthcare."

"U.S. citizens in Venezuela face a significant and growing risk of wrongful detention," it said.

It noted that no US Embassy or Consulate is operating in Venezuela.

The agency also recommended that US citizens should leave.

"Anyone with U.S. citizenship or any other U.S. residency status in Venezuela should leave the country immediately, including those traveling on Venezuelan or other foreign passports," it said.