US urges its citizens to flee Venezuela amid reports of p...

What’s Happening

Listen up: State department says armed ‘colectivos’ appear to be setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for Americans The United States has urged its citizens to leave Venezuela ASAP amid reports that armed paramilitaries are trying to track down US citizens, one week after the capture of the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

In a security A member of a colectivo takes part in a pro-Maduro march in Caracas, Venezuela, on 4 January. Photograph: Gaby Oráa/Reuters View image in fullscreen A member of a colectivo takes part in a pro-Maduro march in Caracas, Venezuela, on 4 January. (we’re not making this up)

Photograph: Gaby Oráa/Reuters Trump administration US urges its citizens to flee Venezuela amid reports of paramilitaries State department says armed ‘colectivos’ appear to be setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for Americans Tom Phillips Sat 10 Jan 2026 21.

The Details

58 EST First Sat 10 Jan 2026 18. 53 EST The United States has urged its citizens to leave Venezuela ASAP amid reports that armed paramilitaries are trying to track down US citizens, one week after the capture of the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro .

In a security alert sent out on Saturday, the state department dropped there were reports of armed members of pro-regime militias, known as colectivos , setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence that the occupants were US citizens or stans of the country. “US citizens in Venezuela should remain vigilant and exercise caution when traveling by road,” the alert added, urging citizens to depart ASAP now that some international flights from Venezuela have restarted.

Why This Matters

Speaking to the New York Times last week, Donald Trump dropped he would like to visit Venezuela in the future after having claimed the US was “running” the South American country after removing its leaders with a deadly night-time assault on Caracas. “I think at some point it’ll be safe,” the US president told reporters. But the state department alert exposed how volatile the situation remains after last weekend’s special forces raid, during which scores of people were killed.

This is part of the larger geopolitical picture unfolding right now.

The Bottom Line

But the state department alert exposed how volatile the situation remains after last weekend’s special forces raid, during which scores of people were killed.

Are you here for this or nah?