Venezuela

South America
Capital:
Caracas
Currency:
Venezuelan Bolívar (VES); USD widely preferred
Risk:
Very High
Language
Spanish
Malaria risk
High
Tap water
⚠️ Not Safe
Healthcare
Very Poor — In Severe Crisis (hospitals lack water; electricity; medicine; equipment)
Kit recommendation
Mission Kit
📋

Health Overview

Venezuela is Level 3 — Reconsider Travel. Advisory decreased from Level 4 to Level 3 on March 19 2026; Wrongful Detention; Unrest; and Other risk indicators removed. US Embassy Caracas resumed operations March 2026 though most consular services still route through Bogotá Colombia. Healthcare remains in severe crisis. Active YF outbreak ongoing. Malaria throughout. FTO activity in border regions. Serious crime and kidnapping throughout. The clinical consultation remains primarily a safety consultation.
⚕

Key Health Risks

Very High
Wrongful Detention and Regime Risk
State Dept explicit determination: very high risk of wrongful detention. US citizens detained up to 5 years without due process. Torture documented: beatings; stress positions; waterboarding. No US Embassy to assist. Entering without visa = terrorism charges.
Very High
Healthcare System Collapse
Severe crisis — hospitals lack water; electricity; medicine; equipment. High mortality from routinely treatable conditions. Private hospitals severely limited by supply shortages. US government cannot assist medically.
Very High
Violent Crime and Kidnapping
One of world's highest homicide rates. FTOs Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles. Express kidnappings. State Dept advises preparing will and proof-of-life protocol.
⛑️

Health Risk Callout

Venezuela remains one of the most challenging destinations clinically. Level 4 — Do Not Travel — with serious crime, kidnapping, terrorism, wrongful-detention risk, and a collapsed healthcare system. Embassy Caracas has been suspended since 2019, so there is no in-country US consular safety net; anyone who insists on traveling needs comprehensive medical-evacuation cover and a proof-of-life protocol. (Corrected 2026-07-18: earlier notes describing a decrease to Level 3 and an embassy reopening were inaccurate — the advisory is Level 4 and the embassy remains suspended.)
🏥

Other Health Risks

Contaminated water; foodborne illness; gasoline shortages; political violence | 2026 UPDATE: Yellow fever: Venezuela YF outbreak has spread to ~14 states as of March 2026, per Vax-Before-Travel and PAHO epidemiological alert; dossier lists only Aragua and Lara states. CDC maintains active Level 2 YF travel notice. Recommend updating malaria/YF-adjacent fields to reflect countrywide/expanded YF risk. (https://www.vax-before-travel.com/2026/03/16/venezuelas-yellow-fever-outbreak-spreads-14-states, 2026-03-16)
🗺

Regional Information

Regional Risk Callout
Caracas: Level 3; some private healthcare remains; US Embassy Caracas reopened March 2026. Colombia border (20 miles): Level 4 — FTO activity; kidnapping. Amazonas state: Level 4. Apure state: Level 4. Rural Bolivar state: Level 4. These Level 4 sub-zones have NO US government emergency service capability.
Regional Healthcare Callout
Healthcare collapsed as functional system. Travelers must be medically self-sufficient. Private medevac pre-arranged. No safety net.
💉

Vaccine and Malaria Prevention

💉 Entry Vaccine Required
YF required from Brazil. CDC recommends YF for ALL travelers outside Caracas urban corridor. MARCH 2026: Active THN now includes Aragua and Lara states.
🛡️ Recommended Vaccines
CDC recommends Routine; YF (see entry requirements — active THN); Hep A; Hep B; Typhoid; Rabies (PEP severely limited in healthcare crisis)
🦟 Malaria Information
  • Risk Level: High
  • Areas: Most of Venezuela. P. vivax (75%); P. falciparum (25%). Highest: Amazonas; Bolívar; Delta Amacuro; Sucre. Caracas: minimal risk.
  • Recommended Drug: Atovaquone-proguanil; doxycycline; mefloquine (NOT chloroquine — resistance present)
  • Drug Resistance: Yes

P. falciparum (25%) with chloroquine resistance. NOT chloroquine. P. vivax can relapse via hypnozoites. Healthcare crisis means local diagnosis/treatment unreliable. Carry empiric treatment. Surveillance collapsed.

High
👨

Physician Note

R
Dr. Robert
Emergency Medicine · 25+ Years · 40+ Countries

Venezuela is now Level 3 — Reconsider Travel (decreased from Level 4 on March 19 2026; Wrongful Detention; Unrest; and Other risk indicators removed). US Embassy Caracas resumed operations in March 2026 after being closed since 2019; though most consular services still route through Bogotá. The destination is still a serious consultation — Level 3 with active crime; kidnapping; FTO activity in border regions; healthcare in severe crisis; and an active YF outbreak.This is a Level 3 destination requiring careful preparation — proof-of-life protocol with family; private medevac confirmed; social media reviewed before travel; malaria prophylaxis (atovaquone-proguanil; never chloroquine); and YF vaccine given the active outbreak.

For healthcare emergencies in Caracas; Clínica El Ávila is the reference. Embassy Caracas has limited emergency capacity — most serious consular matters still route to Bogotá at +57-1-275-2000.' Level 4 sub-zones still exist — Colombia border region; Amazonas; Apure; and rural Bolivar state are all Do Not Travel. Those sub-zones have no US government emergency assistance whatsoever.

Strongly recommend do not travel

✅

Pre-Departure Checklist

  • Level 3 — Reconsider Travel. Obtain valid Venezuelan visa
  • Establish proof-of-life protocol with family
  • Arrange private medevac insurance
  • Prepare comprehensive self-contained medical kit
  • Arrange private security transport.

8+ Weeks

  • Reconsider Travel
  • Be sure to consult your Dr. prior to travel to discuss
  • CDC recommends YF vaccine (active THN — strongly recommended)
  • Hep A
  • Typhoid
  • Rabies pre-exposure (PEP severely limited given healthcare crisis)
  • Malaria prophylaxis (atovaquone-proguanil — NOT chloroquine)
  • Delete critical social media before travel.

2-4 Weeks

  • Register with STEP
  • Contact US Embassy Caracas (reopened March 2026) or Venezuela Affairs Unit at US Embassy Bogotá +57-1-275-2000 or +57-1-275-4021 after hours
  • Confirm medevac provider and routing.

Day Of

  • Depart in daylight only
  • Pre-arranged vehicle from airport — do not use unmarked taxis
  • State Dept 24/7: +1-202-501-4444.
✈️

Trip Type Guidance

No standard trip types apply. Journalistic/humanitarian/family reunification only — extreme pre-travel security and medical planning required.

🗒️

Notes

Special Evacuation Notes
US Embassy Caracas resumed operations March 2026 but emergency capacity remains limited — most consular services still via Bogotá. Private medevac still strongly recommended. Night travel airport-Caracas particularly dangerous. Level 4 sub-zones (Colombia border; Amazonas; Apure; rural Bolivar) have NO US government emergency service capability. Verify medevac routing avoids high-risk areas.
Safety Notes
Level 4 — Do Not Travel. High risk of wrongful detention (up to 5 years) and torture in detention. Avoid nighttime travel, especially the airport-Caracas route. Do not cross from Colombia (border region). Valid visa essential. Delete sensitive social media before travel; maintain a proof-of-life protocol with family. U.S. Embassy Caracas has been suspended since March 2019 — no in-country consular services; contact U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia. State Dept 24/7: +1-202-501-4444. (Corrected 2026-07-18.)
partner recommendation
Medical Evacuation & Assistance
A medical crisis far from home can cost $50,000+ to evacuate. Global Rescue — the partner we personally trust — provides worldwide evacuation and round-the-clock medical assistance.
Get a quote
Good For
No items found.
Quick Info
  • Capital
    Caracas
  • Language
    Spanish
  • Currency
    Venezuelan Bolívar (VES); USD widely preferred
  • State Dept Level
    4
  • Crime Risk
    Very High (highest homicide rates globally; FTOs; wrongful detention by security forces)
  • Disaster Risk
    Very High — Active earthquake zone (Caracas near plate boundary); flooding/landslides rainy season; infrastructure failures continuous
Water Safety
⛔️ Tap Water Not Safe to Drink
Tap water NOT safe — State Dept explicitly identifies contaminated water. Municipal systems frequently shut down. Bottled water exclusively.
Top Hospital
Clínica El Ávila
Caracas
Best-functioning private hospital for international travelers. Severely limited by crisis. Cash (USD) required upfront. US government CANNOT assist with medevac. Clínica Caracas another option. Outside Caracas: essentially unavailable.
Emergency Numbers
171 (emergency); 166 (fire)
Emergency
171 (severely limited)
Ambulance
US EMbassy
US Embassy Caracas RESUMED operations March 2026: +58 (212) 975-6411 [VERIFY current number]. Most consular services still via Venezuela Affairs Unit at US Embassy Bogotá Colombia: +57-1-275-2000 or +57-1-275-4021 after hours. State Dept 24/7: +1-202-501-4444
https://ve.usembassy.gov/
Resources
Primary Sources
Direct lines to the agencies that publish the world's most trusted travel-health guidance.
CDC Travelers' HealthState Dept Travel AdvisoryCDC Health NoticesCDC Yellow BookWHO Travel HealthSTEP Enrollment