The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued an advisory urging Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela in view of the rapidly evolving security situation in the South American country.
In the statement, the MEA also advised Indians currently residing in Venezuela to exercise extreme caution and remain in close contact with the Indian Embassy in Caracas. The ministry shared the embassy’s contact details, including the emergency helpline number +58-412-9584288 (also available on WhatsApp) and the email address cons.caracas@mea.gov.in, for immediate 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,” the MEA said.
Advisory for Venezuela ⬇️
https://t.co/vz4hBkOhVx pic.x.com/hzJsL3WQBL
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 3, 2026
The advisory follows the dramatic escalation in tensions after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas during a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement, and subsequently flown out of the country.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed that Maduro and Flores had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges related to alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies. Trump said the arrests were carried out during a US military operation, with American forces working alongside law enforcement agencies.
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.