Foreign Office issues 'don't travel' alert for country and says 'insurance will be invalidated'

The Foreign Office has issued an urgent travel alert telling people not to travel to parts of a country - and added that if they did go there against the advice their travel insurance could be invalidated. Officials have said that people should not travel to certain parts of Brazil amid major safety fears.

The Foreign Office said people should not travel to river areas towards the west of Amazonas State in Brazil. The area is where Brazil shares borders with Colombia, Peru and Venezuela and officials said there was a serious problem with criminal activity in the area.

It said: “Armed groups, including pirates and drug traffickers, travel by the river routes in the Amazonas state where is there is low presence of police and local authorities. Be aware of safety procedures on board vessels and check the location of life jackets, including for children if travelling with them. Boat accidents on the Amazon River are not uncommon.”

The alert is for along the Amazonas (Amazon) River and its tributaries west of the town of Codajás and east of the town of Belém do Solimões in Amazonas State, along any part of the Itaquaí River in Amazonas State, any part of the Japurá River or its tributaries in Amazonas State and along the Rio Negro (Black River) and its tributaries north or west of the town of Barcelos in Amazonas State.

It adds: “Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Many travel insurance policies will not cover travel to a high risk destination where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel or all travel.”