Travelling in Venezuela? Think about your personal security
31 July 2017 - RPS Partenership
Fatalities During Civil Unrest in Venezuela and on-going tensions as the election polls open
Venezuela has been experiencing increasing political turmoil since April 2017 due to demonstrations and protests in both Caracas and other large cities in the country. These demonstrations have resulted in deaths, the most recent being reported on 26th July 2017 by the NGO Foro Penal Venezolano (FPV) when two people were killed and over 50 arrested during a two day general strike. It is reported that another ten people have been killed this morning 31 July 2017.
Despite high levels of protest and political unrest the government continued with elections for the constituent assembly on 30th July and again today 31 July.
If you are in the region and need travel advice contact us on [email protected] or on twitter @rpspartnership. We can also offer you practical advice and guidance and if you are planning to travel overseas for work.
Contact us if you want to attend one of our training courses. We offer business travel workshops, first-aid courses and how to react if you find yourself caught in a terrorist attack.
Register for our Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) of also known as Hostile Environment Training (HET). Our next course is Monday 4 - Wednesday 6 September 2017.
The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is advising the following:
“You should remain vigilant and informed. Avoid protests and demonstrations, which can turn violent with little warning. During and ahead of demonstrations, there’s often travel disruption as a result of road closures. The authorities often use tear gas and buckshot containing plastic pellets to disperse protests. Large and potentially violent protests and significantly reduced commercial activity are likely around this period, possibly making movement in the streets very difficult for extended periods of time. You should take precautions in terms of securing several days’ worth of food and water provisions.” Good advice for those working in Venezuela at this time.
RPS Partnership reports that levels of law enforcement have been significantly reduced recently in the major cities, so vigilance is paramount. There is also a high level of violent crime and kidnapping throughout Venezuela with drug traffickers and illegal armed groups operating along most of the Columbian border. This border has now been closed by the Venezuelan government to all but foot traffic.
If you are planning to travel overseas to challenging environments RPS Partnership offers Travel Security Training Courses which address the issues associated with ensuring your own safety whilst travelling for work or leisure.
We offer bespoke travel security awareness workshops as well as training courses on how to work in hostile or dangerous environments. We can also assist you with writing your contigency plans for your staff, so that your senior management team have a robust plan if things don't quite work out as you wanted them to and we can train them in crisis management too. Contact us for more information on [email protected]
We have male and female consultants, who are all qualified trainers with vast experience gained over the years; we can tailor training to your specific area of travel.
Photos:
Map wih thanks to the British FCO
Photo courtesy of NGO Foro Penal Veneezolano FPV