29 Nov 2021 | 10:23 PM UTC
Venezuela: Authorities maintain flexible COVID-19-related measures as of Nov. 29 /update 69
Venezuela maintains flexible COVID-19-related measures as of Nov. 29. Fuel purchase schedule remains in place.
Event
As of Nov. 29, flexible control measures are in place across Venezuela as part of the country's COVID-19 response program. The government has ended its long-standing "7+7" program, under which a series of strict measures alternated with flexible measures on a weekly basis; the flexible measures will remain in place indefinitely.
Under the general flexible restrictions, authorities allow multiple businesses and facilities to operate, including lodging establishments, beaches, private clubs, theme parks, restaurants, cafes, public transport, banks and financial services, healthcare centers, and places of worship, among numerous others. Government offices, including the National Ground Transport Institute (Instituto Nacional de Transporte Terrestre, INTT) and the Identification, Migration, and Foreign Affairs Administration (Servicio Administrativo de Identificacion, Migracion y Extranjeria, SAIME), can also operate.
All residents must wear protective facemasks on public transport, inside grocery stores and pharmacies, and at healthcare facilities, airports, and ports. Bus services may operate at a maximum of 50 percent capacity. Local and regional governments could impose additional restrictions, including limiting intercity or interstate vehicular travel. Enhanced measures are likely in border areas.
Fuel Distribution Restrictions
Officials have been enforcing a restricted fuel distribution system since October 2020 amid the country's continued fuel shortage crisis. Private vehicles may only be fueled on certain days, depending on the final digit of their license plate numbers. The schedule through early December is as follows:
Nov. 29: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1 and 2
Nov. 30: Vehicles with license plates ending in 3 and 4
Dec. 1: Vehicles with license plates ending in 5 and 6
Dec. 2: Vehicles with license plates ending in 7 and 8
Dec. 3: Vehicles with license plates ending in 9 and 0
Dec. 4: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1 and 2
Dec. 5: Vehicles with license plates ending in 3 and 4
International and Domestic Travel
Most international flights remain banned until further notice. Authorities only allow authorized commercial international flights to and from Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Russia, and Turkey. Cargo, emergency, and humanitarian flights are exempt from the ban. Officials also allow flights repatriating Venezuelan citizens.
All passengers entering Venezuela must present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours before arrival. Any person entering the country may have to undergo additional testing upon arrival and could be subject to quarantine protocols. Since early July, authorities have also allowed additional internal flights connecting most major cities, except those in states bordering Colombia and Brazil.
All measures are subject to amendment at short notice. Authorities could tighten restrictions in any location at any time if confirmed case numbers increase significantly.
Advice
Follow all official instructions. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions.
