US orders embassy staff families to leave Venezuela during chaos

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‍The US State Department on Thursday ordered families of US embassy employees in Caracas to leave Venezuela, as the political crisis has worsened ahead of an election on Sunday, amidst violent protests.

It also authorized voluntary departure by employees and warned US citizens against traveling to Venezuela due to "social unrest, violent crime, and pervasive food and medicine shortages."

A tear gas bomb launched at protesters during a strike against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela, July 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Violence continued to rage on the streets, with another seven deaths added to the more than 100 people killed in the protest-related violence since April.

The US order came as Venezuela is banning protests that could "disturb or affect" the election in which Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is expected to set up a constituent assembly to rival the National Assembly under control of the opposition and to rewrite the constitution.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro delivers a speech during the closing campaign ceremony for the upcoming Constituent Assembly election in Caracas, Venezuela, July 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The election is justified by Maduro as a way to bring peace back to the split country, while it is slammed by the opposition as an attempt to strengthen his grip on power.

The ban will be enforced from Friday to Tuesday. Violators will be sentenced for between five to 10 years, Venezuela's Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said.

A demonstrator is detained at a rally during a strike called to protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela, July 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The opposition defied the government's ban and vowed to go head with a mass protest on Friday. They turned to twitter to encourage the protest, calling it "Taking of Venezuela".

"The political and security situation in Venezuela is unpredictable and can change quickly," said the US State Department. "Indiscriminate violent crime is endemic throughout the country and can occur anywhere at any time," it added.

The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 13 senior Venezuelan officials due to Maduro's refusal to abandon the election. The sanctions freeze the officials' assets in the US and prohibit the US entities from doing business with them.

In response, Maduro claimed the sanctions were "illegal, insolent and unprecedented."

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