US State Department Issues Urgent Warning: Citizens Advised to Leave Venezuela Amid Militia Activity Following Maduro's Capture

Urgent Call for Departure

The United States State Department has issued a critical security alert, urging all American citizens currently in Venezuela to depart the country immediately. The advisory, released on Saturday, January 10, 2026, cites credible reports of armed pro-regime militias, known as 'colectivos', actively setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for individuals with U.S. citizenship or perceived support for the United States.

This urgent warning comes approximately one week after a significant military operation led by the U.S. resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Heightened Risks and Consular Limitations

The State Department's alert emphasizes the severe and fluid security situation in Venezuela. The country remains under a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, the highest level, due to a multitude of risks including:

• Wrongful detention and torture in detention
• Terrorism and kidnapping
• Arbitrary enforcement of local laws
• Crime and civil unrest
• Poor health infrastructure

U.S. citizens are advised to 'remain vigilant and exercise caution when traveling by road' and to monitor airline communications for updated information regarding international flights, which have reportedly resumed.

The ability of the U.S. government to provide emergency services to its citizens in Venezuela is severely limited, as the U.S. Embassy in Caracas suspended operations on March 11, 2019.

Maduro's Capture and Operation Details

President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in a U.S. military operation in Caracas on the early morning of January 3, 2026. The operation, referred to as 'Operation Resolve' or 'Operation Absolute Resolve' (also 'Determinación Absoluta'), saw U.S. special forces transport the captives to the USS Iwo Jima, from where they were taken to New York.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed that Maduro had been indicted on charges including 'Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States'.

International Reactions and Ongoing Tensions

The capture of Maduro has ignited strong reactions both within and outside Venezuela. While many opponents of the Maduro regime have welcomed his capture, his supporters have taken to the streets, condemning the operation as an 'imperialist act of aggression'.

The Venezuelan foreign ministry has dismissed the U.S. warning, stating it was 'based on fabricated accounts aimed at creating a perception of risk that does not exist'. U.S. President Donald Trump, who directed the operation, indicated that the U.S. would 'run the country, until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition' of power.