Canada urges citizens to avoid travelling to Venezuela following US strikes and President Maduro’s capture; Air Canada rolls out free flight change policy

Canada is warning its citizens to avoid all travel to Venezuela after US military strikes hit multiple locations in the capital, Caracas, and resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, an extraordinary escalation that Ottawa says could trigger sudden border and airspace closures.

The strikes, dubbed as Operation ‘Absolute Resolve’, inside Venezuela follow an intensified US pressure campaign against the Maduro government, which the Trump administration has accused of flooding the United States with drugs and gang members.

President Donald Trump has said Washington plans to effectively run Venezuela "until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. Trump has also repeatedly blamed President Nicolás Maduro for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the US, framing the military action as part of a broader effort to restore stability in the country.

Canada’s reaction

“The current situation in Venezuela is tense and could escalate quickly,” Ottawa said in a travel advisory. “Borders and airspace could close at short notice.”

According to CTV News, Canada said its embassy in Venezuela has been closed since 2019, leaving consular assistance for Canadians in the country severely limited and provided remotely.

Canada advises travellers to Venezuela to be prepared to shelter in place, keep food and water supplies, monitor media reports, and register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service.

For emergency consular assistance, Canadians can reach Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre by calling 1-800-387-3124 within Canada, 1-613-996-8885 collect from abroad, or by emailing sos@international.gc.ca.

Air Canada issues flexible rebooking policy

Air Canada has introduced a special policy permitting passengers to change certain flight itineraries without incurring any penalties.

The policy covers passengers who bought Air Canada tickets on or before Jan. 2, 2026, for travel scheduled through Jan. 6, 2026, on itineraries that include flights to or from affected destinations.

Air Canada says affected passengers can rebook free of charge through Jan. 13, 2026, subject to cabin availability, with fare differences applying outside that window.

According to the CTV News, the policy applies to countries such as Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Sint Maarten, the US Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Bogotá and Cartagena in Colombia and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Those who booked via Air Canada Vacations should reach out directly to their tour operator for support.