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MARACAIBO, Venezuela (AP) - The U.S. State Department advised travelers to the Copa America to be aware of "security concerns," and organizers moved one of the semifinals from Caracas to Maracaibo because of fears of crowd trouble.
The decision to move the July 10 game, announced Sunday, came two days after the U.S. State Department advised Americans traveling to the soccer tournament that they could end up caught in violent street protests against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, said in a statement the change was necessary "in order to comply with the tournament's security and capacity" regulations. The announcement did not appear to affect the third-place match, scheduled to be played in Caracas on July 14.
"U.S. citizens contemplating travel to Venezuela should carefully consider the risks to their safety and security," the State Department said Friday. "Violent crime, including ... kidnappings, has increased in Venezuela, particularly in major cities and along the border with Colombia. In Caracas, violent crime has become an everyday occurrence. ...
"The murder rate in Caracas is one of the highest in Latin America. Carjackings are frequent and often result in murder. Armed robberies occur in broad daylight throughout the city, including areas generally presumed safe and frequented by tourists. Americans planning to travel to Venezuela for Copa America should be aware of uncertainties in availability of tickets for the games, an issue which has sparked local protests."
The tournament, South American's championship, starts Tuesday when Venezuela plays Bolivia in San Cristobal. The U.S. team, an invited guest along with Mexico, was traveling to Venezuela on Monday. The Americans open Thursday against Argentina in Maracaibo, then play Paraguay on July 2 in Barinas and Colombia on July 5 in Barquisimeto.
Chavez dismissed the travel advisory as another in a string of attacks by what he termed "the North American empire
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