George Santos announces Venezuela trip to be ‘part of the solution’
Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos said he plans to travel to Caracas in the coming days to deliver aid and “be part of the solution” for Venezuelans, posting the announcement on X shortly after U.S. forces struck venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife. Santos framed the trip as relief work for people he described as long oppressed.
The trip would be his first known international travel since President Trump commuted his seven-year prison sentence last year; Santos had pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture. He has previously expressed interest in prison reform after his release.
U.S. State Department guidance currently carries a Level 4 travel advisory for Venezuela, warning Americans to avoid travel because of risks including wrongful detention, kidnapping, civil unrest, and limited health infrastructure. the U.S. also has not had a fully staffed diplomatic presence in Caracas since early 2019.
George Santos announces Venezuela trip to be ‘part of the solution’
Former New York GOP Rep. George Santos announced on Sunday that he has plans to visit Venezuela just one day after U.S. troops attacked Venezuela and captured its now-former president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia.
“Going to be heading to Caracas in the coming days to help with Aide [sic] … many people need help and for far too long it was impossible to bring them any relief,” Santos posted on X. “I look forward to being part of the solution and ending the problems of a people oppressed for far too long.”
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This would be the first known international trip for Santos since President Donald Trump pardoned him last year. Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in 2024 and was ordered to pay $373,749 in restitution and a forfeiture payment of $205,002, in addition to serving a seven-year prison sentence. However, because Trump commuted his sentence, he is no longer mandated to do so.
Santos teased a future in prison reform following his release from jail, which at times included solitary confinement. Many Venezuelans were imprisoned as a result of protesting Maduro’s leadership last year after he was declared the winner of a widely disputed election.
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Currently the U.S. State Department has a “Level 4” travel advisory against Venezuela. It recommends Americans avoid travel to the South American country “due to the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.”
During the first Trump administration, all U.S. diplomatic personnel left the embassy in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas and suspended operations in early 2019.
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