The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela has urged American citizens and those residing in the country to refrain from traveling to the South American country due to a series of risks as the Trump administration deploys troops off its coast.
In a social media post, the embassy said those linked to the U.S. in the country face "grave risks of illegal detention, torture while in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, unfair police actions, violent crime and civil unrest."
🚨 NO VIAJAR 🚨
— Embajada de los EE.UU., Venezuela (@usembassyve) August 21, 2025
El Gobierno de los Estados Unidos advierte a cualquier ciudadano de los Estados Unidos o que tenga cualquier tipo de residencia en los Estados Unidos, que no viajen ni permanezcan en Venezuela debido a los graves riesgos de detención ilegal, tortura durante la… pic.twitter.com/UFaZJoI4v4
The deployment of U.S. forces near the Venezuelan coast is completely dominating the conversation in the South American country.
On Wednesday, Jorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela's regime-friendly Legislative Assembly, said all people who enter the country unlawfully will be arrested.
"Whoever it may be. Foreigners who enter the country unlawfully can come in, but won't come out. They'll stay here. In prison," Rodriguez said during an Assembly session, a statement greeted by applause from those present.
Also on Wednesday, authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro called on friendly countries to "unite" to defend its "right to sovereignty, peace and self-determination."
Speaking at an extraordinary ALBA-TCP summit, Maduro began with a call to "the national unity of all Venezuelans to guarantee peace with sovereignty, territorial integrity, self-determination of the peoples."
He then addressed the group's countries, saying "I dare, brothers of Latin America and the Caribbean, to call for the union of all rebel people, social movements, to defend Venezuela's right to sovereignty, peace, self-determination and its own development."
"Our union is what has made us strong," Maduro told representatives of Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and St. Lucia.
The group then published a press release condemning the U.S.'s "imperialistic and destabilizing policy, which, through unilateral coercive measures, diplomatic blackmailing and media campaigns, seeks to undermine the region's peace and sovereignty."
Reuters reported that the U.S. has ordered an amphibious squadron to the region as part of the deployment. Concretely, the USS San Antonio, USS Iowa Jima and USS Fort Lauderdale will carry 4,500 service members, including 2,200 marines. They could arrive as early as Sunday.
Originally published on Latin Times
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
