Italian Tourists Report Extortion Incidents in Venezuela
A couple of Italian travelers recently shared a video on social media, alleging they faced multiple incidents of extortion at various police and military checkpoints while journeying through Venezuela.
The two tourists operate a YouTube channel called Come Due Vagabondee (“Like Two Tramps”), where they document their travels in a van.
As reported by the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, the tourists traveled through several regions, including Zulia, Falcon, Carabobo, and Bolívar. In the video they released, they claimed that encounters at numerous checkpoints significantly impacted their experience.
“Across Latin America, we use our cameras at every checkpoint. Today, we’re going to hide them and see if the police are truly not corrupt,” the caption of the video stated.
In the footage, one traveler mentioned that during the initial days in Venezuela, he “went through at least 30 checkpoints, and every time the police noticed the camera, their demeanor shifted.”
“I want to see if they are genuinely sincere, even if they’re unaware they’re being filmed,” said the male tourist. “We’re checking their friendliness even when they’re off-camera.”
His partner, the female tourist, added that they were testing the officials’ reactions without the cameras being visible. She greeted one official, who inquired about their origin and whether they had “Italian currency.”
The couple responded that they didn’t possess any money.
At another checkpoint, an official was heard requesting “assistance” for a “friend” needing to buy items at the market. In a separate interaction, a guard asked for “cookies” or “one or two Brazilian reals.”
In both instances, the tourists indicated they couldn’t give any cash before being allowed to proceed. According to reports from La Patilla, the personnel involved were from the Bolivarian National Police (PNB), Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), and various state and municipal police forces.
“It’s absurd, but they ask with a smile. They actually thought we had Brazilian currency,” the woman noted towards the video’s conclusion.
For years, non-governmental organizations and international media have cited rampant extortion at checkpoints in Venezuela involving law enforcement and military officials. A recent piece by the Colombian newspaper La Opinion detailed similar experiences from Venezuelans, alleging officials demanded payments in US dollars and other valuables.
