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Britain's foreign ministry has advised against all travel to the Amazonas state, expanding the area covered by its highest-level travel warning for Venezuela.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has also advised against all travel to areas within 25 miles of Venezuela’s border with Colombia.
Travel warnings remain in place for the remaining areas of Venezuela, including Zulia state, Maracaibo and the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo.
UK updated travel warning for Venezuela
“If you are a British national already living or travelling in Venezuela, you should be prepared to change your plans quickly if necessary,” the FCDO said in a statement on Wednesday (14 October).
“You should have a ‘personal emergency plan’, including practical steps for leaving the country or staying safe during a crisis, that does not depend on support from the UK government.”
Drug traffickers and illegal armed groups are active along Venezuela’s border areas with Colombia, Brazil and Guyana. In the Orinoco Mining Arc (Arco Minero) region to the south of the Orinoco river, illegal armed groups are active and involved in criminal activities, the FCDO warns.
This includes:
- all of Cedeño Municipality
- the northern part of Sucre Municipality, from the Orinoco river to 80km south of the Troncal 19 road
- the northern part of Raul Leoni Municipality, north of the Rio Paragua
- all of Piar Municipality
- all of Roscio Municipality
- all of El Callo Municipality
- all of Sifontes Municipality
Delta Amacuro is also problemed with drug traffickers and active illegal armed groups, while there have been reports on armed groups and ongoing crime and violence in Zulia.
Can I still travel to Venezuela?
Travelling to a country that the FCO advises against visiting is not illegal. However, your travel insurance could be invalidated.
“We only advise against travel if we think the risk to British nationals is unacceptably high,” the FCDO says. This could be due to armed conflict, military coups, civil unrest, disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
On 15 September, the UK upgraded diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
“Although the security situation has improved in recent years and many visits take place without incident, political, economic and operational conditions remain uncertain and can change rapidly,” the FCDO said.
“Consular access and support to British nationals in Venezuela may be severely limited.”