Security alert cites armed roadblocks by pro-government groups and limited U.S. consular assistance.
WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. State Department on Saturday, Jan. 10, urged American citizens in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, warning that armed groups known locally as colectivos have set up roadblocks and are stopping vehicles to look for evidence of U.S. ties amid heightened political tension.
The rare, urgent warning elevates months of concern about safety in Venezuela into a time-sensitive directive. The United States already rates the country at Level 4: Do Not Travel. The new alert says the U.S. government has extremely limited ability to help citizens inside Venezuela and follows a week of volatility that has drawn international scrutiny. Officials say the security environment is fluid and unpredictable, with reports of armed militants confronting motorists and checking identification near major thoroughfares in and around Caracas.
The advisory, issued through the U.S. Embassy’s Venezuela platform, which has operated remotely from Bogotá since formal operations in Caracas were suspended, instructs Americans to depart while commercial options remain available. It cites credible accounts of colectivos erecting checkpoints and searching vehicles and phones for signs of U.S. citizenship or perceived support for the United States. “U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,” the notice says in plain language. The department reiterated that it cannot provide emergency services inside Venezuela and that routine consular services are handled from neighboring countries. The alert comes as flights in and out of the country fluctuate and highways leading to the capital’s main airport have seen intermittent security disruptions, according to people familiar with movements through the area.
Officials and local witnesses describe a patchwork of conditions that can change by neighborhood and hour. Some travelers have reported increased security presence along roads connecting Caracas with Maiquetía’s Simón Bolívar International Airport and at key intersections inside the city. Others describe colectivos on motorcycles stopping cars and asking passengers to unlock devices or display identification. The State Department lists risks including wrongful detention, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, kidnapping, and civil unrest. Venezuelan authorities have pushed back on characterizations of widespread instability. Acting officials in Caracas have publicly said the country remains calm and that reports of targeted searches for Americans are exaggerated, while acknowledging that security forces are visible on major routes. The United States, which withdrew embassy staff in 2019 and maintains citizen services through regional posts, says access to detainees is uncertain and travel across land borders is particularly dangerous.
Recent political developments have sharpened concerns. Regional news outlets have carried accounts of clashes and security operations in early January, and U.S. officials say the environment remains tense as rival factions test control around the capital and several western states. Airports have operated on irregular schedules, and local shortages of gasoline, medicine, and basic supplies persist in several regions, complicating overland travel. Colombia, Brazil, and Caribbean neighbors have monitored crossings and sea lanes as travelers look for routes out of Venezuela. In prior years, the U.S. has warned that detentions of foreigners can occur at formal and informal checkpoints, and that nighttime travel between cities—especially the corridor linking Caracas to the international airport—has been especially risky.
Procedurally, the State Department’s Level 4 advisory means the government formally urges against all travel and, in this case, urges immediate departure for those already inside the country. The Venezuela country page notes the advisory was reissued Dec. 3, 2025, with the latest security alert posted Jan. 10, 2026. Consular services for U.S. citizens are handled through the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, with contact details supplied on official channels. Entry to Venezuela generally requires a valid visa obtained in advance; visas are not issued on arrival. Officials stress they cannot guarantee emergency extraction or safe passage within Venezuela. Airlines continue to adjust operations based on security and logistical factors, and third-country transit points in the region have experienced heavy demand for seats and documentation appointments since the alert.
Witness accounts from Caracas describe a capital that appears outwardly normal in some districts during the day but tightens at night, with security patrols, ad hoc checkpoints, and sporadic searches. Shopkeepers in central neighborhoods reported lighter foot traffic over the weekend and an uptick in people asking about transport to the airport. A transportation manager who oversees corporate shuttles between the city and Maiquetía said drivers were instructed to stick to daytime runs and to avoid secondary roads where colectivos have been seen congregating. “People are nervous; they want to leave before something closes,” he said, adding that availability on outbound flights changes quickly. Venezuelan officials on state television insisted the situation is under control and urged residents to go about their routines, while opposition figures accused security forces of intimidation and arbitrary stops.
As of Monday, Jan. 12, the State Department’s guidance remains in effect: do not travel to Venezuela, and Americans already there should depart as soon as feasible. Officials say they are continuing to monitor airport operations, highway conditions to the coast, and reports of checkpoints inside the capital. Further updates are expected if flight schedules shift or if security conditions materially change.
Author note: Last updated January 12, 2026.