2 countries issue travel warnings against US after shootings

Two countries have issued warnings to their citizens against traveling to the U.S. in the wake of two weekend mass shootings that left 31 people dead.

Governments of Venezuela and Uruguay announced the travel warnings on Monday following two shootings Saturday in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

The Venezuela Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens planning travel to the U.S. to either "postpone their travel or, in any case, take precautions … given the proliferation of acts of violence and crimes of indiscriminate hatred" in El Paso and Dayton, Global News reported.

Uruguay's Office of Foreign Ministry similarly alerted citizens to "take precaution" when traveling to the U.S. It noted several factors, including "indiscriminate possession of firearms by the population" and the "impossibility of authorities to prevent these situations," as reasons travelers should avoid highly populated areas or events.

The ministry suggested Uruguayans avoid Baltimore, Detroit and Albuquerque, which it said are among the 20 most dangerous cities in the world, according to the Ceoworld Magazine 2019 index, The Washington Post reported.

The U.S. State Department issued its own advisory last week for citizens traveling to Uruguay, according to The Post. The Trump administration also does not recognize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as legitimate.

Cox Media Group