Canadian vacationers voice issues over Caribbean journey after U.S. strike on Venezuela

[ad_1] Individuals name them the ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

All three are positioned within the southwestern Caribbean's leeward Antilles, off the coast of Venezuela. All three are common vacationer locations, identified for his or her sandy seashores and wealthy cultures.

However now — days after the U.S. hit Venezuela with what it described as a "large-scale strike" and captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores — the ABC islands have one thing else in widespread: trepidation amongst some travellers.

"We're debating our mid-February journey ... Frankly, if a warfare was occurring 50 nautical miles away from the place I am presupposed to be having a soothing trip, I wait till issues have settled," somebody posted Monday on the Curacao Journey Ideas by Locals Fb group.

"I am scheduled to go for two weeks in June ... and evaluating now whether or not to cancel," another person wrote on the Aruba Journey Ideas Fb group over the weekend.

The U.S. strike on Venezuela got here after months of accelerating stress by Washington, together with the interception of oil tankers off Venezuela's coast and the focusing on of smaller boats mentioned to be carrying medicine.

On Saturday, a number of hours after U.S. Particular Forces swooped into Caracas by helicopter, shattered Maduro's safety cordon and dragged him from the edge of a protected room, World Affairs Canada (GAC) issued a journey advisory warning Canadians to keep away from all journey to Venezuela.

"The present scenario in Venezuela is tense and will escalate shortly," GAC mentioned in its warning.

"Keep away from all journey to Venezuela as a result of important stage of violent crime, the unstable political and financial conditions, the chance of arbitrary detention, and the decline in primary dwelling situations, together with shortages of remedy, gasoline and water."

GAC did not prolong its warning to Caribbean islands.

However Air Canada issued its personal journey advisory on Saturday for Venezuela and surrounding areas, noting it could enable individuals to vary their itineraries for flights into 17 totally different airports as much as Jan. 6. These embrace airports in Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic.

"Due to the scenario in Venezuela and surrounding areas, we perceive that you could be wish to make alternate journey preparations," Air Canada wrote.

WestJet and Air Transat each informed CBC Information they have been monitoring the scenario and never seeing an influence on bookings or operations.

'Something is feasible now' The problem with the unprecedented strike on Venezuela is that nobody can say for positive what occurs subsequent, mentioned Marie-Christine Doran, a professor within the college of political research on the College of Ottawa.

"I would not worry that there can be a direct assault on the islands, however some individuals could also be caught in some form of crossfire. Something is feasible now," Doran, who makes a speciality of violence in Latin America, informed CBC Information.

"I'd be involved in regards to the army presence within the waters," she added.

There's been a big U.S. naval presence within the Caribbean for months. Because the Related Press factors out, there had been 35 identified strikes towards alleged drug smuggling boats in South American waters since early September, which have killed at the least 115 individuals.

WATCH | CBC reviews from the Colombia-Venezuela border: Hope, nervousness about Venezuela's future at its border with Colombia

On the Simón Bolívar Worldwide Bridge between Venezuela and Colombia, the CBC's Jorge Barrera characterizes the temper amongst Venezuelans as 'guarded hope' whereas questions persist in regards to the nation's future governance. The very fact the U.S. does not seem like planning any form of democratic transition in Venezuela and is leaving the dictatorship in place is regarding, Doran added. Then there's the truth that U.S. President Donald Trump has additionally made threats towards Colombia and Mexico — two different places common with Canadian vacationers, she mentioned.

Cuba, one other inhabitants trip spot, says it misplaced 32 safety officers within the U.S. strike on Venezuela, its closest ally.

In the meantime, many different Latin American nations like Chile and Peru are tightening their borders in response to the scenario, she added.

"It is not an excellent time to journey to Latin America," Doran mentioned.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A large crowd of people wave cuban flags and someone holds a banner that says venezuela" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/147dd559-d5c3-4f38-8a34-6626a4281891,1767731438768/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4309%2C2873%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/147dd559-d5c3-4f38-8a34-6626a4281891,1767731438768/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4309%2C2873%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/147dd559-d5c3-4f38-8a34-6626a4281891,1767731438768/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4309%2C2873%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/147dd559-d5c3-4f38-8a34-6626a4281891,1767731438768/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4309%2C2873%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4998259658893143" data-cy="image-img"/> Cubans attends a rally in Havana, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in solidarity with Venezuela after the U.S. captured President Nicolas Maduro. (Ramon Espinosa/The Related Press) Canadians cancelling journeys Leanne McKercher, proprietor of Marlin Journey in Kingston, Ont., says she's had a number of cancellations over the previous couple of days for locations akin to Curaçao. Some individuals have modified their itineraries to go to Mexico as an alternative, she added.

"They're avoiding these islands in and round Venezuela," McKercher mentioned.

Curaçao, a constituent nation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands positioned about 60 kilometres off Venezuela's coast, is a well-liked vacation spot for Canadians, with about 32,300 visiting the island in 2023 in keeping with the federal authorities.

In November alone, 6,207 Canadians visited the island, in keeping with the Curaçao Vacationer Board, placing Canada simply behind the Netherlands and the U.S. by way of worldwide guests.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A row of bright colourful buildings set against a bright blue sky" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0722053a-3fc7-43a1-a6c1-1954646c9442,1767713700600/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8067%2C5378%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0722053a-3fc7-43a1-a6c1-1954646c9442,1767713700600/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8067%2C5378%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0722053a-3fc7-43a1-a6c1-1954646c9442,1767713700600/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8067%2C5378%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0722053a-3fc7-43a1-a6c1-1954646c9442,1767713700600/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C8067%2C5378%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> A view of colonial buildings on the waterfront of outdated city Willemstad in Curaçao, on March 12, 2024. (Frederico Parra/AFP/Getty Photographs) Aruba, which is simply round 30 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast, can be common with Canadians. About 63,300 visited in 2023, the island's second-largest tourism market, in keeping with the federal authorities.

Invoice Oliver, 50, of Fonthill, Ont., says he did not take into account cancelling his journey to Aruba, however his flight Sunday was practically cancelled after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed journey restrictions the day earlier than.

Talking to CBC Information from the island's Riu Palace resort in Noord, Oliver mentioned there was a way of mayhem when he first arrived as some individuals could not get on flights again to the U.S., however all the things felt again to regular by Tuesday.

"There is no point out of the Venezuelan incident right here on the island," he mentioned.

WATCH | Trump threatens extra nations: Trump says U.S. 'in cost' of Venezuela, threatens extra nations

After arresting the president of Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump is issuing new threats, warnings and predictions of collapse for Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Greenland and Iran — all whereas his State Division posts on-line that 'That is OUR Hemisphere.' Canada's former UN ambassador discusses how Trump and different highly effective leaders are attempting to 'carve up' the world. Plus, former Colombian vice-president Francisco Santos Calderón reacts to Trump's menace of army motion towards Colombia. Some travellers stay uncertain In a press release to CBC Information, GAC reiterated its recommendation towards all journey to Venezuela.

"Flight suspensions have restricted the choices to go away the nation," a spokesperson mentioned in a written assertion.

Cruise firms Virgin Voyages and Carnival Cruise Line each informed CBC Information that their southern Caribbean itineraries are persevering with as deliberate, regardless of some disruptions over the weekend from U.S. industrial flight cancellations.

"Presently, there aren't any extra impacts to our operations, and upcoming voyages, together with ... calls to Aruba, Bonaire and Cartagena [Colombia], are persevering with as deliberate," a Virgin Voyages spokesperson mentioned in an electronic mail assertion.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A group of people in vacation clothes stand in the dark watching a large cruise ship" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/5a5f4648-504e-490a-ba1b-72aea3cee5e9,1767737452279/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C1024%2C683%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/5a5f4648-504e-490a-ba1b-72aea3cee5e9,1767737452279/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C1024%2C683%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/5a5f4648-504e-490a-ba1b-72aea3cee5e9,1767737452279/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C1024%2C683%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/5a5f4648-504e-490a-ba1b-72aea3cee5e9,1767737452279/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C1024%2C683%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.499267935578331" data-cy="image-img"/> Vacationers watch a cruise ship go by on the waterfront of outdated city Willemstad in Curaçao in March 2024. (Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Photographs) However on social media, some travellers remained uncertain.

On the Curacao Journey Ideas Fb group, as an illustration, plenty of individuals, together with Canadians, requested whether or not it could be protected to stay with their journey plans. One particular person mentioned they may see army helicopters from their resort's seaside.