MEA Issues Travel Advisory, Indian Nationals In Venezuela Urged To Exercise Caution Amid Unrest

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday advised Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela amid the unfolding situation in the South American nation.

It also urged Indians currently in Venezuela to exercise extreme caution, remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Caracas, and share an emergency helpline number for assistance.

"In view of recent developments in Venezuela, Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela. All Indians who are in Venezuela for any reason are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements, and remain in contact with the Embassy of India in Caracas through their email id: cons.caracas@mea.gov.in or the emergency phone number +58-412-9584288 (also for WhatsApp calls)," MEA said in a statement.

The advisory comes after Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement, leading to heightened tensions and uncertainty.

Earlier, Donald Trump said that Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were captured in Caracas during a US military operation, have been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York, and will face trial.

He said that American forces, working with law enforcement agencies, captured Maduro and his wife in a night-time operation.

While addressing a press conference in Florida, Trump said, "No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday or frankly, in just a short period of time. All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless as the men and women of our military, working with US law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night."

"It was dark, and it was deadly, but he was captured along with his wife, Cilia Flores, both of whom now face American justice. Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York," he said.

According to an unsealed indictment shared by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on X, Maduro and Flores face multiple counts of statutory allegations related to "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies".

The capture of Maduro comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela.