After a deadly weekend of mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, which killed 29 people, two South American countries have issued travel warnings to their residents about the U.S.
Uruguay’s Office of Foreign Ministry issued its warning on Monday, asking citizens to “take precautions against 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.”
The warning also knocks the U.S. government for its inability “to prevent these situations.” The Foreign Ministry blamed “the indiscriminate possession of firearms” for at least part of the problem and warned travelers to avoid places where lots of people gather, such as theme parks, food festivals, malls, and sporting events.
The warning did not specifically mention Dayton or El Paso, but did suggest citizens avoid U.S. cities that are among the 20 most dangerous in the world: Detroit, Michigan; Baltimore, Maryland; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry office issued a similar warning on Monday, which also included a statement that Americans’ “inexcusable indiscriminate possession of fire arms by the population, encouraged by the federal government” was mostly to blame.
“These increasing acts of violence have found an echo and support in the conversations and actions impregnated by racial discrimination and hatred against migrant populations, pronounced and executed by the supremacist elite who holds political power in Washington,” the statement said, according to CNN.
The outlet also reported that the U.S. previously has issued its own travel warnings for both Uruguay and Venezuela. The former is listed under a “Level 2” advisory, meaning those traveling to the country should “exercise increased caution” due to increased crime. The advisory suggests travelers avoid displaying “signs of wealth” and leaving “valuable objects in parked vehicles or in plain sight when driving.”
“Criminals commonly travel in pairs on motorcycles to approach unsuspecting victims with a weapon and demand personal belongings,” the U.S. warns. “Armed criminals also target grocery stores, restaurants, financial centers, and small businesses, in which innocent bystanders are often victimized.”
As for Venezuela, the country is experiencing severe problems due to its socialist government and policies. The U.S. lists the troubled country under a “Level 4” advisory, meaning people shouldn’t travel to Venezuela at all.
“Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, kidnapping, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens,” the U.S. warns.
The advisory adds that the country is experiencing “shortages of food, electricity, water, medicine, and medical supplies.”
The same website Uruguay used to find three dangerous cities in the U.S. ranks Venezuela as the 11th most dangerous country in the world, and its capital city, Caracas, is ranked as the most dangerous city in the world.
The mass shootings in the U.S. over the weekend appeared to show the span of extremist ideology. The El Paso shooter was allegedly a white supremacist while the Dayton shooter was allegedly a radical leftist and supporter of Antifa.