US State Department Issues Emergency “Leave Immediately” Alert for Venezuela

The United States Department of State has issued an urgent emergency alert for Venezuela, elevating its warning to the highest possible level and explicitly instructing all remaining U.S. citizens to “depart immediately” by any available means. The directive follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) abrupt closure of Venezuelan airspace to U.S. civil aviation, a move that signals Washington is clearing the theater for potential military operations.
The upgraded “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory contains stark new language, citing an “imminent threat of armed conflict” and the “rapid deterioration of the security situation.” unlike previous warnings focused on crime and arbitrary detention, this alert specifically highlights the “buildup of military forces” in the Caribbean and the risk of “sudden, violent unrest” targeting foreign nationals.
“Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, and the imminent risk of military action,” the State Department bulletin reads. “U.S. citizens currently in Venezuela should depart immediately. Note that commercial flights are suspended following the FAA’s issuance of NOTAM A0012/25. Land border crossings into Colombia or Brazil may close without notice.”
The warning effectively marks the final diplomatic signal before the commencement of what officials have termed a “new phase” of pressure against the Nicolás Maduro regime. With the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group patrolling the coast and the FAA designating the airspace as a “hazardous conflict zone,” the window for safe evacuation is rapidly closing.
Diplomatic sources indicate that the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá has established a crisis response team to monitor the situation, but the State Department emphasized that the U.S. government “has no ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela.”
The alert also warns of increased risk of “hostage-taking” by regime-aligned paramilitary groups (colectivos) who may seek to use Americans as bargaining chips in the event of a U.S. intervention. This aligns with recent intelligence reports suggesting Maduro has mobilized civilian militias to defend the country “street by street.”
The timing of the alert—arriving alongside reports of CIA covert operations and President Trump’s refusal to rule out ground troops—suggests that the administration believes the status quo in Caracas is about to shatter. For the few Americans remaining in the country, the message from Washington is clear: you are on your own, and time has run out.