Be wary if you are planning an international trip.
Traveling outside your own country can be an anxious experience. Aside from making sure you have packed all the travel essentials and updated local cultural traditions, it is also important to ensure that the current socio-economic situation of the destination is safe for travel. To achieve this, the United States Department of State has a numbers-based travel advisory system, with Tier 1 countries being those in which travelers should exercise normal precautions up to Tier 1 countries. 4, where the State Department's bounty recommends “do not do.” Journey.”
Earlier this week, the State Department changed travel advisories for two Caribbean countries popular with U.S. travelers.
On September 24, the State Department increased the travel advisory level for Venezuela to 4. According to the department, “the Department has determined that there is a high risk of unwarranted detention of U.S. persons in Venezuela . Security forces detained American citizens for five years. The U.S. government is generally not informed of the detention of U.S. citizens in Venezuela, nor does it have access to U.S. citizen prisoners. Violent crimes, such as homicides, armed robberies, kidnappings and carjackings, are common in Venezuela. Political rallies and demonstrations take place, often without notice. Police and security forces have instituted a brutal crackdown on anti-Maduro protests, including using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against participants, and sometimes escalating into looting and vandalism.
Additionally, the State Department warned that the United States was suspending operations of the country's U.S. embassy and withdrawing all diplomatic personnel. In other words, “the U.S. government does not have the capacity to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela.” American citizens in Venezuela.
In addition to Venezuela, the State Department has raised the travel advisory level for one other country, albeit to a lesser extent. The U.S. agency elevated Panama to Level 2, meaning U.S. travelers should “exercise increased caution.”
According to the State Department, “Crime occurs in Panama, including thefts and residential break-ins. Crimes of opportunity such as pickpocketing and purse theft can occur in tourist areas. The embassy receives occasional reports of residential break-ins, especially during the holiday season. Protests occur periodically due to local issues and have disrupted some normal travel patterns in the past, including the movement of goods and services to certain parts of the country.
Specifically, the department warns about Mosquito Gulf areas of the country, including within 10 miles of the coast, from Boca de Rio, Chiriqui to Cocle del Norte. They warn against “drug trafficking and other illicit activities” which make this area dangerous. They also warn against parts of the Darién region, including areas south of Jaque, Manene, Yaviza and Lajas Blancas, up to the Colombian border, as well as the towns of Lajas Blancas and El Salto.
The U.S. Department of State's travel advisory system can be very helpful to U.S. travelers when considering traveling abroad. Stay tuned to AllEars for more in-depth coverage of international travel conditions.
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Have you ever considered a State Department travel advisory when planning a trip? Let us know in the comments below.
