Ottawa is advising Canadians to avoid all travel to Venezuela amid continued political and economic turmoil in the South American country.
“Avoid all travel to Venezuela due to the significant level of violent crime, the unstable political and economic situations and the decline in basic living conditions, including shortages of medication, food staples, gasoline and water,” Global Affairs Canada said in a travel advisory updated Tuesday.
Canada’s travel alert to Venezuela was previously set to “avoid non-essential travel.” The U.S. raised its travel advisory to Venezuela to its highest level one week ago.
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The updated travel advisory comes in the wake of Canada issuing its backing to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to take over as interim president.
On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that Guaido’s interim government was the newest member of the Lima Group.
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The group’s members say they do not recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s president, with Maduro’s recent re-election widely condemned as a sham amid the widespread detention of opposition candidates.
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The political turmoil has gripped Venezuela, which is battling crippling food shortages and hyperinflation that has prompted mass protests and an exodus of refugees.
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