Uruguay, Venezuela sends warning against travelling to US

The warning comes after two mass shootings in the US over the weekend left at least 30 people dead.

People take part in a rally against hate a day after a mass shooting at a Walmart store, in El Paso, Texas, US. The placard reads, "This is caused by racism".  August 4, 2019
Reuters

People take part in a rally against hate a day after a mass shooting at a Walmart store, in El Paso, Texas, US. The placard reads, "This is caused by racism". August 4, 2019

Uruguay on Monday issued a warning to its citizens travelling to the United States after two mass shootings over the weekend that killed 31 people in Texas and Ohio.

In a press release, the Foreign Ministry advised avoiding cities such as Detroit, Baltimore and Albuquerque, which it said are among the 20 most dangerous in the world, citing an index by CEOWORLD magazine.

Travellers are urged to take precautions "in the face of growing indiscriminate violence, mostly for hate crimes, including racism and discrimination, which cost the lives of more than 250 people in the first seven months of this year," it said in the release also posted on President Tabare Vazquez's website.

The US State Department had issued its own travel advisory for Uruguay on August 2 due to an increase in violent crime, including homicides, armed robberies and carjacking.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry also issued a statement suggesting that its citizens "postpone travel" to the US in light of "violence and indiscriminate hate crimes."

The US has warned its citizens against any travel to Venezuela.

On Saturday, several Mexican citizens were among the 21 people killed at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas authorities said. Hours later, another gunman killed nine people in downtown Dayton, Ohio. 

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