The Foreign Ministry issued a warning about traveling to Venezuela due to legal risks with the regime.

Ecuador's Foreign Ministry issued an official alert recommending not to travel to Venezuela. The warning was based on the risk of arbitrary detentions, the absence of judicial guarantees, and the inability to access basic legal protection mechanisms for Ecuadorian citizens.

The measure recalled that diplomatic relations between Ecuador and Venezuela have been severed since 2024, following the police raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito to capture former Vice President Jorge Glas. Since then, there is no Ecuadorian consular staff in Venezuela nor institutional channels that would allow effective consular assistance to its nationals in cases of emergency or detention.

This situation has created a legal and operational vacuum that leaves Ecuadorians in Venezuela completely exposed to any abuse of authority. Despite previous diplomatic efforts, Nicolás Maduro's regime has not shown willingness to reestablish basic bilateral cooperation mechanisms that would protect citizens' rights.

According to the statement, there are currently at least 10,000 Ecuadorians in Venezuela, many of them with legal residency, who were unable to vote in the most recent elections due to the lack of cooperation from the Venezuelan regime. The National Electoral Council suspended voting in that country after not receiving the necessary guarantees to enable the proposed polling station at the Swiss Embassy. Additionally, the Foreign Ministry reported that Nicolás Maduro's government refused to provide information about detained citizens and allegedly withheld Ecuadorian electoral materials that were supposed to be returned to the courier company.

The Ecuadorian warning coincided with a similar alert issued by the United States, which also urged its citizens to leave Venezuela immediately for security reasons. In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused the U.S. of violating the human rights of Venezuelan migrants, although he omitted responding to accusations of systematic repression and judicial arbitrariness within his own country.

International organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented numerous cases of detentions without a court order, judicial proceedings without defense, and practices that violate essential rights. These conditions make foreigners, especially those without diplomatic representation, vulnerable to becoming victims of a politicized and non-transparent judicial system.

The lack of legal and diplomatic guarantees in Venezuela represents a direct threat to the safety and rights of Ecuadorians. Institutional isolation and the lack of consular channels increase the risks of remaining in or traveling to Venezuelan territory. The current conditions make any visit a risky gamble, even for those traveling for family or humanitarian reasons.

In a scenario of repression, misinformation, and diplomatic rupture, the warning from Ecuador's Foreign Ministry reinforces the need to protect citizens against the abuses of an authoritarian regime. The lack of procedural guarantees in Venezuela confirms the urgency of avoiding any unnecessary travel to that country. Ecuadorian authorities recommend that those who are still in Venezuela maintain contact with family members and avoid unnecessary movement within the territory.