Venezuela/Maduro- Visa requirement for Yankees
 

I was hoping on a plane Wednesday March 4th evening to head down to Bogota and then fly onto Cucuta, Colombia and take some transport overland from the border to Caracas to get back to my travel bike and get it up and going again and then today I hear about the following from a good friend this afternoon:
BBC News - Venezuela imposes limits on US diplomats
and
Venezuela clamps down on US diplomatic presence amid growing bilateral tensions - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Any US citizens or any other overlanders for that matter pass through the country recently?
Really not wanting to get turned back at the border and go home without mi moto:scooter:

Will be calling the Houston Consulate Monday AM hoping for the best.


John

Venezuela/Maduro- Visa requirement for Yankees
 

Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela has announced that they will be requiring Visa's for United States Visitors. He didn't expound much and so I don't know when this might go into effect. US citozens will have to pay a reciprocty fee to enter. I think it will be like $175 US.
Here is a basic article from [URL="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/28/americas/venezuela-us-pilot/index.html"]CNN
here is another from the NY Times

I just read about this too. I'm wondering:

1) How does one obtain this visa? I'm in north east Brazil now and I'd like to obtain it but I don't know how. Can it be obtained in Boa Vista, or Manaus?

Looks like they have consulates in Belem, Boa Vista, and Manaus (link to info herelink to info here)

2) What is the political environment in Venezuela now for an American motorcyclist? It looks to me like they're starting to target *whatever* American might be there and accusing them of spying.

Look here,

"A group of four missionaries had been called in for questioning after participating in a medical assistance campaign in the coastal town of Ocumare de la Costa, the head of a Venezuelan evangelical organization said on Friday.

The four had reportedly left the country for Aruba after having been questioned."

My license is from Washington State and my license too. But I'm guessing the average border/federal police checkpoint won't understand the difference between Washington DC and Washington State and think I'm a bad apple.

What are your thoughts? Do we have any recent experience of motorcyclists that have passed through the country recently?

Thanks in advance!
David

I don't have direct info but heard a report this morning (Sunday, 3/1) regards the issue. Yes, Venezuela are looking more closely at who comes in as they've found many "Gringo Gusano's" are there to organize/agitate right wing opponents against the Maduro govt. (documented)

Most would call those types SPIES ... or agent provocateur. They come in, spread lots of cash (millions) around and do the bidding of CIA and big oil. (who want Venezuela back!)

... we've seen this tactic before:
(see Allende coup in Chile, and two failed prior coup attempts by CIA to take over of Venezuela, depose democratically elected leader (Chavez, now deceased).

Venezuela claim tourism is still welcomed. :innocent:
Also, they now have imposed a Visa Fee, (select countries) this as reciprocity to the fee we charge Venezuelans who want to go shopping in Miami. The idiot reporters never mentioned the amount of the fee.

But maybe that fee would be only imposed for those flying into country, not land border entires? I hope so.

Good luck, hope you can get in and get your bike back ... I hear the black market rate for USD is now up to like 150 to 170 per USD?
Official rate is something like 6.5 per USD. YIKES!

bier

Just started a thread yesterday evening on the very topicdoh might need a merge

Just called up two Venezulan embassies (Manaus and Belem) and one told me :

1) Impossible to get the tourist visa there. I must fly back to the USA
2) I can get it in Manaus but I have to have residency there and be living there.

It's looking like it might be impossible to travel to VZ if you don't first have the visa in the States.

Anyone hearing otherwise?

Done

Looks like you'll be unable to travel through Venezuela if you don't have your visa applied for in your country of origin. I just spoke with Sr. Blanco and he confirmed there was no way to get the visa from the Brazilian side.