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The United States government has told its citizens to leave Venezuela straightaway amid growing concern that armed pro-government militias are stopping vehicles and looking for signs that travellers are American or support the US.
In a security alert issued on Saturday, the State Department said there were “reports of groups of armed militias, known as ‘colectivos,’ setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of US citizenship or support for the United States.”
It added that American citizens should “remain vigilant and exercise caution when travelling by road” and should depart now that some international flights have restarted.
The warning comes about a week after US forces carried out an operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro. While many opponents of Maduro have welcomed his capture, supporters of the former president have protested and described the operation as an act of foreign aggression.
US President Donald Trump told reporters last week that he hoped it would become safe to visit Venezuela in the future. “I think at some point it’ll be safe,” he said.
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According to journalists and activists in Caracas, armed colectivos have been seen riding motorbikes through the capital and around checkpoints, while military and police patrols are active on major roads out of the city., as reported by The Guardian.
State Department officials visited Caracas on Friday, in what US officials said were steps toward reopening the US embassy. Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has called for better relations with Washington even after Maduro’s removal.
