Lithuania's ForMin warns against traveling to Venezuela

VILNIUS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry  recommends Lithuanian citizens not to travel to Venezuela because of the ongoing mass demonstrations in the country after the presidential election held in late July.

Demonstrations continue in Venezuela as the authorities are cracking down on protesters, with further risk of more serious unrest in the country, the ministry said on Wednesday.

Demonstrations may disrupt traffic, public transport and travel to Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas. The security situation in the country may deteriorate without warning, and the authorities may impose curfews and restrictions on movement, the ministry warned.

"If you are currently in Venezuela, restrict your movement, avoid areas around government buildings, demonstrations, large gatherings, areas where security forces are present, follow the instructions of the local authorities and follow the local media to stay informed about the evolving situation," the ministry said.

For Lithuanians in Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry recommends that they fill in the travel registration form on traveluk.urm.lt as soon as possible so that they can be contacted for consular assistance if necessary.

As Lithuania has no diplomatic mission in Venezuela, the ministry advises to contact any European Union mission in Venezuela if necessary.

The nearest Lithuanian diplomatic mission is the Consulate General in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The ministry also recommends downloading the Travel Safely app, which provides up-to-date consular information and notifications from the ministry in case of a crisis situation in a foreign country.

Protests in Venezuela were sparked by the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro.