Wayzata World Factbook 1994/World Factbook - 1994 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1994).iso/pc/text/txtfiles/venezuel.tvl

Text File | 1994-04-11 | 5KB | 97 lines

#CARD:Venezuela:Travel\Consular Information
Venezuela - Consular Information Sheet
August 11, 1993

Country Description:  Venezuela is a medium income country.  Its tourism,
air, and surface transportation infrastructure is well developed.  Tourist
facilities vary in quality.  Scheduled air service and all weather roads,
some poorly marked and some congested around urban areas, connect major
cities and regions of the country.

Entry Requirements:  A passport and a visa/tourist card are required.
Tourist cards can be obtained from airlines serving Venezuela.  Visas and
current information concerning entry, tax and customs requirements for
Venezuela can be obtained from the Venezuelan Embassy at 1099 30th Street
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007, tel. [phone] or the nearest consulate
in Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, New York, Houston or San Juan.

Areas of Instability:  Cross-border violence occurs in remote areas along
the Colombian border in Zulia, Tachira, Apure, and Amazonas states.  In
early 1993 a small plane was hijacked in southern Apure near the Colombian
border.  The occupants, including an American and a Canadian, were
kidnapped, held for ransom and later released.

Medical Facilities:  Adequate medical care is available from local
physicians, some public and most private hospitals and clinics in most major
cities.  Quality of medical care varies.  Malaria is present in some remote
areas of the Orinoco region.  Cholera is also present in Venezuela.
However, visitors who follow proper precautions about food and drink are not
usually at risk.  Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate payment for
health services.  U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the
United States.  In some cases, medical insurance with specific overseas
coverage has proved to be useful.  For additional health information,
travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control's international
travelers hotline at [phone].

Crime Information:  The potential is high for theft of unattended items on
beaches, from parked rental cars, and of money and documents by pickpockets
on public transportation as well as in and near bus and subway stations.
Armed street robberies are frequent, especially in poorer urban
neighborhoods and in isolated public parks.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately
to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  Useful
information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while
traveling abroad is provided in the pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad," available
from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402.  Also available from the same address is the
Department of State's publication "Tips for Travelers to Central and South
America."

Other Information:  Since the failed coup attempts of 1992, some significant
and sometimes violent political demonstrations have continued to take place
in urban centers, primarily on or near university campuses. Most tourist
destinations remain unaffected.  However, Merida, a major tourist
destination in the Andes, has traditionally been the scene of frequent
student demonstrations.  There have been incidents of assault reported in
remote areas along the Colombian border in Zulia, Tachira, Apure and
Amazonas.  The potential for harassment and petty crime is high during
public demonstrations.  Travelers can obtain information regarding such
events by following the local media, and consulting local sources, such as
U.S. and Venezuelan business contacts, hotels, tour guides, and travel
organizers.  The purpose and locations of political demonstrations are
usually announced in advance.

Random acts of piracy have occurred in coastal waters off Venezuela from the
western border with Colombia on the Guajira Peninsula to the Paria Peninsula
in eastern Venezuela.  Small boats may find the waters around the Los Monjes
islands extending from the Guajira and Paraguana peninsulas particularly
risky.

Driving Information:  Driving at night and on winding roads, where vehicles
may pass on blind curves and in "no passing" zones, is risky.  Frequent
stops at national guard and local police road check points are required.
Travelers may be asked to show vehicle papers and passports at any time.
Cars may also be searched.

Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in
which they are traveling.  Penalties for possession, use and trafficking in
illegal drugs in Venezuela are strict, and convicted offenders can expect
lengthy jail sentences and fines.

Embassy Locations/Registration:  Americans who register with the Consular
Section of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas at Avenida Principal De La Floresta
and Avenida Francisco De Miranda, telephone [phone]/2475 or the
U.S. Consulate in Maracaibo at Edificio Banco Hipotecario Del Zulia (BHZ),
Calle 77 Con Avenida 13, telephone [phone] may obtain updated
information on travel and security within Venezuela.

No. 93-237

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 27, 1993 to add
information on random acts of piracy in coastal waters off Venezuela.

#ENDCARD