Canada issues emergency travel advisory for South American destination
The Government of Canada has just issued an urgent update in its travel advisory for Venezuela.
On Wednesday, the government updated its Venezuela travel advisory due to earthquakes near the country’s coast.
“On June 24, 2026, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5 occurred near the Venezuelan coast west of Caracas, causing damage to infrastructure,” reads the statement.
It adds that Caracas Airport remains closed until further notice.
The update warns of additional aftershocks that could cause further damage to infrastructure and disrupt access to essential services. Canadians who may already be in the area are urged to follow the instructions of local authorities and to make sure that they monitor the local media for updates on the situation.
Tomasz Podolski/Shutterstock
The area was hit with earthquakes that were a minute apart, killing at least 164 people, reports the BBC. The most affected area was the city of La Guaria, north of Caracas, where several buildings have collapsed.
Wednesday’s earthquakes were the worst since a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Caracas in 1967, killing over 200 people.
In a statement on X, Prime Minister Mark Carney stated, “On behalf of Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of those who were lost. My thoughts are with everyone who has been injured or displaced and with the first responders working tirelessly to save lives.”
The catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela have taken more than 160 lives and caused untold devastation.
On behalf of Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of those who were lost. My thoughts are with everyone who has been injured or displaced and with the…
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) June 25, 2026
He added that Canada is preparing humanitarian assistance to support Venezuelans.
The federal government continues to advise Canadians to “avoid all” travel to Venezuela, citing security risks, political and economic instability, violent crime, the possibility of arbitrary detention, and shortages of medication, gasoline, and water.