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

People name them the ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

All three are situated within the southern Caribbean’s leeward Antilles, off the coast of Venezuela. All three are fashionable vacationer locations, identified for his or her sandy seashores and wealthy cultures.

But 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 frequent: trepidation amongst some travellers.

“We’re debating our mid-February trip … Frankly, if a war was happening 50 nautical miles away from where I’m supposed to be having a relaxing vacation, I wait until things have settled,” somebody posted Monday on the Curacao Travel Tips by Locals Facebook group.

“I’m scheduled to go for 2 weeks in June … and evaluating now whether to cancel,” another person wrote on the Aruba Travel Tips Facebook 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 medication.

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

“The current situation in Venezuela is tense and could escalate quickly,” GAC mentioned in its warning.

“Avoid all travel to Venezuela due to the significant level of violent crime, the unstable political and economic situations, the risk of arbitrary detention, and the decline in basic living conditions, including shortages of medication, gasoline and water.”

GAC did not lengthen its warning to Caribbean islands.

But Air Canada issued its own travel advisory on Saturday for Venezuela and surrounding areas, noting it will permit folks to alter their itineraries for flights into 17 completely different airports as much as Jan. 6. These embody airports in Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic.

“Because of the situation in Venezuela and surrounding regions, we understand that you may want to make alternate travel arrangements,” Air Canada wrote. 

WestJet and Air Transat each advised CBC News they have been monitoring the scenario and never seeing an impression on bookings or operations.

‘Anything is feasible now’

The problem with the unprecedented strike on Venezuela is that nobody can say for certain what occurs subsequent, mentioned Marie-Christine Doran, a professor within the faculty of political research on the University of Ottawa.

“I wouldn’t fear that there would be a direct attack on the islands, but some people may be caught in some kind of crossfire. Anything is possible now,” Doran, who focuses on violence in Latin America, advised CBC News.

“I would be concerned about the military presence in the waters,” she added.

There’s been a big U.S. naval presence within the Caribbean for months. As the Associated Press factors out, there had been 35 identified strikes in opposition to alleged drug smuggling boats in South American waters since early September, which have killed not less than 115 folks.

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The truth the U.S. would not look 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 fashionable 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.

Meanwhile, many different Latin American international locations like Chile and Peru are tightening their borders in response to the scenario, she added.

“It’s not a very good time to travel to Latin America,” Doran mentioned.

Canadians cancelling journeys

Leanne McKercher, proprietor of Marlin Travel in Kingston, Ont., says she’s had a couple of cancellations over the previous couple of days for locations corresponding to Curaçao. Some folks have modified their itineraries to go to Mexico as an alternative, she added.

“They’re avoiding those islands in and around Venezuela,” McKercher mentioned.

Curaçao, a constituent nation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands situated 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 accordance with the federal government.

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

Aruba, which is just round 30 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast, can also be fashionable with Canadians. About 63,300 visited in 2023, the island’s second-largest tourism market, in accordance with the federal government.

Bill Oliver, 50, of Fonthill, Ont., says he did not contemplate cancelling his journey to Aruba, however his flight Sunday was almost cancelled after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed journey restrictions the day before. 

Speaking to CBC News from the island’s Riu Palace resort in Noord, Oliver mentioned there was a way of mayhem when he first arrived as some folks could not get on flights again to the U.S., however every little thing felt again to regular by Tuesday.

“There’s no mention of the Venezuelan incident here on the island,” he mentioned.

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Some travellers stay uncertain

In a press release to CBC News, GAC reiterated its recommendation in opposition to all journey to Venezuela.

“Flight suspensions have limited the options to leave the country,” a spokesperson mentioned in a written assertion.

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

“At this time, there are no additional impacts to our operations, and upcoming voyages, including … calls to Aruba, Bonaire and Cartagena [Colombia], are continuing as planned,” a Virgin Voyages spokesperson mentioned in an e-mail assertion. 

But on social media, some travellers remained uncertain.

On the Curacao Travel Tips Facebook group, as an example, a variety of folks, together with Canadians, requested whether or not it will be secure to stay with their journey plans. One individual mentioned they might see navy helicopters from their resort’s seashore.

But others mentioned their very own journeys have been simple and stress-free — largely.

“Other than thinking all the fireworks were bombs, we felt great!” somebody wrote.