UK Foreign Office issues urgent ‘do not travel’ warning to Venezuela | UK | News

Britons have been warned not to enter Venezuela after the US carried out a series of attacks in the country’s capital, Caracas. Donald Trump claimed that US soldiers caught Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife taking them out of the country after the operation, in which many military and civilian targets were reportedly hit.

Trump said in his post on the Truth Social platform: “The United States has successfully carried out a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured and sent out of the country with his wife.” This follows months of US pressure on Maduro’s administration, with Washington strengthening its military presence in the region and vowing to combat US drug trafficking allegations.

Experts believe that the apparent forced removal of the Venezuelan leader and the subsequent power vacuum is an extremely dangerous moment for the country.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against all travel to the South American country and warned British citizens there about seeking asylum.

The move came after Venezuelan officials declared “a ‘state of external unrest’ on January 3 due to airstrikes against targets across the country,” the ministry said.

“This could lead to the closure of Venezuelan borders and airspace,” the FCDO added, saying it “advises against all travel to Venezuela.”

“If you are a British national currently living or traveling in Venezuela, you should shelter in place, but be prepared to change your plans quickly if necessary,” the Foreign Office continued.

“Regularly review your departure options and ensure your travel documents are valid and accessible. You should have a ‘personal emergency plan’ with practical steps to leave the country or stay safe during a crisis that does not depend on UK government support.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that approximately 500 British people were in Venezuela at the time of the US attack.

Starmer added: “There are about 500 of them. [Brits] “We are working with the embassy to make sure they are well cared for, protected and receive appropriate advice in Venezuela.”

U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi said the “captured” Venezuelan president and his wife were “indicted in the Southern District of New York.”

“Nicolas Maduro was charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy against the United States, Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, Possession of a Machine Gun and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess a Machine Gun and Destructive Devices.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice in American courts on American soil. On behalf of the entire U.S. Department of Justice, I want to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and I want to give a big thank you to our brave military who carried out an incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international drug traffickers.”

Ms. Bondi did not disclose the accusations against Celia Flores.

The US operation, which began in the early hours of Saturday, followed Trump’s months-long pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader, including a massive buildup of American forces in waters off South America and attacks on boats accused of transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

Last week, the CIA was behind a drone strike on a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels; This was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the United States began attacks in September.

According to the Trump administration, as of Friday, the number of known boat attacks was 35 and the death toll was at least 115. Trump said the United States was engaged in a “gunfight” with drug cartels and justified the boat attacks as necessary to stop the flow of drugs into the United States.

Many countries condemned the attacks as extrajudicial killings, and Maduro’s government has always denied any involvement in drug trafficking.

Maduro and the Venezuelan government have denied any involvement in drug trafficking and said they would work with the United States to help solve the problem.

Experts generally agree that Venezuela is a relatively minor player when it comes to international drug trafficking, and Venezuela claimed that the aim of today’s attacks was to “seize Venezuelan oil and minerals.”

The legal authority for the attack and whether Mr. Trump consulted Congress beforehand are not yet clear.