❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, issued a warning about the remnants of Nicolás Maduro’s irregular militias, known as colectivos, targeting Americans in Venezuela following the capture of the Marxist dictator
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nicolás Maduro, Cilia Flores, Diosdado Cabello, Delcy Rodríguez, and the U.S. State Department.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The weekend of January 10, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela, with ongoing developments in the region.
💬KEY QUOTE: “There are reports of groups of armed militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States.” – U.S. Embassy in Bogotá
🎯IMPACT: American citizens in Venezuela are urged to leave as the U.S. cannot guarantee their safety amid escalating tensions with the remnants of Maduro’s regime.
The United States embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, has issued a travel warning to American citizens in Venezuela, citing reports of armed militias loyal to Nicolás Maduro, known as colectivos, targeting Americans or those perceived to support the United States. The embassy urged Americans to leave Venezuela immediately, emphasizing the lack of U.S. capacity to guarantee safety in the country.
Venezuela’s Marxist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by the U.S. military during an operation launched by President Donald J. Trump on January 3, 2026. The two were swiftly brought to the United States where they now face narco-terrorism charges in New York City.
While Venezuela’s interim government, led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez—who previously served as Maduro’s vice president—has largely been cooperative with the United States, it appears unable to clear out the remaining Maduro loyalists who control an estimated 10 percent of Venezuela’s major cities. Diosdado Cabello, Maduro’s Minister of the Interior and Justice, appears to be behind the colectivo insurgency, issuing public threats through the well-armed street gangs. Cabello’s colectivos have reportedly been conducting raids, setting up checkpoints, and searching vehicles and phones for evidence of opposition to the regime or support for Maduro’s arrest.
The U.S. embassy warned that colectivos are actively targeting Americans, stating, “There are reports of groups of armed militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States.” The embassy reiterated that Venezuela remains a “do not travel” destination and urged Americans to prepare contingency plans if they choose to remain.
Meanwhile, the socialist regime has claimed that Venezuela is in a state of “absolute calm,” denying any threat to Americans. However, ongoing arrests of individuals celebrating Maduro’s capture and Cabello’s armed appearances in Caracas suggest otherwise. In response to the colectivo actions, the Trump administration—which contends Cabello is one of the key players in Maduro’s drug operation—has issued a $25 million reward for his capture.
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