US Urges Citizens to Leave Venezuela as Security Concerns Rise; Diplomatic Talks Begin After Maduro Capture
After U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro, Washington urged Americans to leave Venezuela amid reports of armed colectivos and checkpoints, while countries explore restoring diplomatic ties.
Overview
The State Department warned U.S. citizens on Jan. 2026 to leave Venezuela immediately after reports of armed colectivos setting roadblocks and searching vehicles; some international flights have resumed.
U.S. special forces captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas last week; he and his wife were extradited to New York, pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism charges after a deadly raid.
Venezuelan foreign ministry called the U.S. alert 'fabricated,' asserting calm, while reporters and activists report colectivos and hundreds of military and police checkpoints across Caracas and western routes.
A U.S. diplomatic-security team visited Caracas to assess reopening the U.S. embassy; the Venezuela Affairs Unit, led by acting ambassador John McNamara, is evaluating security and building repair needs.
Venezuelans are divided: some privately celebrate hope for economic recovery and reduced foreign malign influence; others fear repression, curbed freedoms, and uncertainty about sovereignty and future stability.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources portray U.S.-Venezuela talks through framing that emphasizes U.S. aggression and geopolitical self-interest. Editorial choices — loaded verbs like “brazen intervention,” unsourced assertions about U.S. intent to control oil, and prioritizing Venezuelan leaders’ condemnations — create a narrative skeptical of U.S. motives while treating official Venezuelan objections as central context.
Sources (11)
FAQ
The U.S. government is urging Americans to leave Venezuela because of reports that armed militias known as colectivos are setting up roadblocks, searching vehicles for signs of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States, and because the State Department says it cannot provide emergency assistance in a country rated Level 4: Do Not Travel due to risks such as wrongful detention, kidnapping, and civil unrest.
Colectivos are pro‑government armed militias or paramilitary groups in Venezuela that have historically acted to support the Maduro government, and current U.S. alerts describe them as setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles on Venezuelan roads, which heightens the risk to U.S. citizens and other perceived opponents of the government.
According to U.S. briefings and media reports, Maduro’s capture in a U.S. raid in Caracas has been followed by heightened tensions, with armed colectivos increasing their presence on the streets and authorities imposing more checkpoints, contributing to the State Department’s assessment that security risks for Americans and others have escalated.
The U.S. government states it is largely unable to provide emergency or consular services in Venezuela because U.S. diplomatic personnel were withdrawn and embassy operations in Caracas have been suspended, which is one of the reasons the travel advisory remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel.
The State Department notes that some international flights have resumed and advises U.S. citizens to use these commercial options to depart as soon as they judge it safe, while avoiding road areas where armed colectivos and checkpoints have been reported and closely following official travel and security guidance.
History
3 sources