Fox News Sounds Alarm to Americans Still in Venezuela
“This is a government that can do what it wants,” Fox News chief international correspondent Steve Harrigan said of Venezuela.
A Fox News reporter warned Americans in Venezuela that the country has become a “very risky place.”
Chief international correspondent Steve Harrigan’s caution comes as the U.S. Embassy issued an advisory on Saturday to American citizens in Venezuela, cautioning them to shelter in place after the U.S. military launched deadly strikes around Caracas.
Trump ordered a large-scale military attack in Caracas, Venezuela on Saturday morning.
Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images
“We do know that the U.S. Embassy is warning U.S. citizens in Caracas and Venezuela not to travel and to shelter in place during this time for their own safety,” overnight host Chanley Painter said to Harrigan on Fox News program The Ingraham Report on Saturday. “...We will likely continue to see the fallout from this action.”
“This is a government that can do what it wants on the ground,” Harrigan replied. “It can throw Americans in jail. It can throw political opposition leaders in jail. It can jail anyone who it wants to jail.”
Harrigan added that “the noose is getting tighter” regarding travel in and out of the country.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“It’s a very risky place,” Harrigan said. “And also, the air service in and out has been cut back dramatically. And also, the shipping has been cut back dramatically. This is a country, a regime that runs on oil and on exporting oil. So the noose is getting tighter, not only around but around Venezuela’s economy and around basically getting in and out of Venezuela. So this is a pot that is boiling.”
Fire is seen at Venezuela's largest military complex after the U.S. launched a military attack on the country.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. embassy previously urged Americans not to travel to Venezuela in December due to “high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.” It also advised citizens who were already in the country to depart immediately.
Several Americans were detained in the lead-up to Maduro’s capture amid Trump’s ongoing attacks against the South American country. Out of five known prisoners, a U.S. government official told the New York Times that two may have been wrongfully detained. The Trump Administration has previously suggested that Maduro’s regime was arresting U.S. citizens to use as leverage.
Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Caracas around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) on January 3, an AFP journalist reported. The explosions come as US President Donald Trump, who has deployed a navy task force to the Caribbean, raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela.
Luis Jaimes/AFP via Getty
The Federal Aviation Administration banned U.S. aircraft from entering Venezuelan airspace following the military operation, making it difficult for Americans in the country to leave quickly. The U.S. Embassy shut down operations in Venezuela in 2019 and stated on its website that it has “no ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured Saturday morning following a U.S. military operation in Caracas.
Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. military executed a military operation in Caracas early Saturday morning. Trump announced the capture of Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, shortly after.
The Venezuelan president was flown out of the country to face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump carried out the operation without informing Congress.
The Maduro regime issued a statement following the president’s capture, condemning the move as a “flagrant violation” of Articles 1 and 2 of the U.N. charter guaranteeing the right to sovereignty.
“The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, by attempting to forcibly break the political independence of the Nation,” it said. “They will not succeed.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…