{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/venezuela/merida","updatedAt":"2026-07-29T18:04:32.714Z","place":{"city":"Mérida","country":"Venezuela","countryCode":"VE","lat":8.57899,"lon":-71.16922},"safety":{"score":18,"level":"HIGH_RISK","answer":"Elevated risk — reconsider","saferThanPctOfCountries":6,"confidence":0.85,"caps":[{"max":18,"reason":"Level 4 advisory — \"Do Not Travel\""}],"databaseScore":18,"travellerSentiment":{"score":55,"label":"Mostly positive for perceived safety","summary":"Crowdsourced data indicates a high level of perceived safety when walking alone in daylight and a low worry about being mugged or robbed, suggesting that within the city, some visitors feel relatively safe during the day.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":70,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":34,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":45,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":55,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":0,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":39,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":70,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":4,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-07-01T18:10:05Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/venezuela"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":4,"label":"Avoid all travel","updated":"2026-07-29T14:31:46.2003107-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/venezuela"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":12.6466448562847,"display":"12.6 / 100k","year":"2022","score":39,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":32.3,"display":"32.3%","year":"2010","score":37,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.4909370220377421,"display":"0.49 / million","year":"2021","score":81,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":13.2,"display":"13.2 / 100k","year":"2021","score":57,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":36.1651626,"display":"36/100","year":"2024","score":36,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":19.0276028,"display":"19/100","year":"2024","score":19,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":15.7286763,"display":"16/100","year":"2024","score":16,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":22.83069,"display":"23/100","year":"2024","score":23,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":24.8486239,"display":"25/100","year":"2024","score":25,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":25.0393635,"display":"25/100","year":"2024","score":25,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":300000,"display":"300k residents","year":null,"score":82,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.04,"display":"0.04 / 100k","year":"2024","score":91,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":50,"display":"50.0%","year":"2019","score":15,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":33,"display":"US AQI 33 · Good","year":null,"score":93,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":2,"display":"1 notice · max Alert","year":null,"score":60,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":9.89133767,"display":"10 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2020","score":48,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":30,"display":"July: highs ~30°C · wet spell","year":null,"score":92,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":1,"display":"1 active alert · Drought (green)","year":null,"score":96,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":4,"display":"Level 4 — Avoid all travel","year":null,"score":0,"source":"Government of Canada"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":45,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":70,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":70,"display":"70 / 100 (Mostly positive for perceived safety)","year":null,"score":70,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Yellow Fever in Venezuela","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/yellow-fever-venezuela"},{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[{"kind":"Drought","severity":"green","title":"Drought is on going in Colombia, , Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela","distanceKm":479}],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"No, Mérida, Venezuela is not safe for travelers, and travel is strongly advised against.","summary":"Multiple governments advise against all travel or reconsidering travel to Venezuela due to widespread crime, political instability, and a breakdown in the rule of law. While some crowdsourced data suggests a low perception of risk for walking alone in daylight, this is heavily contradicted by official advisories and the country's high crime rates.","robberyRisk":{"level":"High","note":"High risk of mugging and armed robbery, particularly in less populated areas and at night, with a high homicide rate nationally."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Moderate risk of pickpocketing and bag-snatching in crowded urban areas."},"safeAreas":["La Hechicera"],"avoidAreas":["Outskirts of the city (general)","Areas with visible poverty"],"scams":["Bribes demanded by corrupt officials (police and National Guard).","Extortion by officials."],"zones":[{"name":"El Centro","level":"caution","note":"Historic center, can be busy but caution advised due to potential for pickpocketing and petty theft."},{"name":"Los Chorros","level":"caution","note":"Residential area, generally safer but exercise caution, especially after dark."},{"name":"San Jacinto","level":"caution","note":"Mixed residential and commercial, be aware of surroundings and avoid displaying valuables."},{"name":"La Hechicera","level":"safe","note":"University area, generally considered safer due to student presence, but still exercise normal precautions."},{"name":"Ejido","level":"caution","note":"A municipality near Mérida, shares similar safety concerns; avoid poorly lit or isolated areas."}]}}