Venezuela Added to President Donald Trump's New Travel Bans

Photo: Carlos Becerra/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced new travel bans on visitors entering the United States.

The new restrictions, going into effect on October 18th, adds North Korea, Chad and Venezuela to the list of targeted countries that already included Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia. For Venezuela, the restrictions apply only to government officials and their families. “Venezuela’s government fails to share public-safety and terrorism-related information adequately,” the government proclamation reads.

“I must act to protect the security and interests of the United States and its people,” he said in the document, issued late on Sunday,” Trump wrote in the decree, later tweeting, “Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet.”

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry responded to the travel ban on Monday: “It is worth pointing out that these types of lists are incompatible with international law, and constitute a form of psychological and political terrorism,” the statement reads. “Our people are being sanctioned because of their pacifist nature as well as their tolerance and respect for different religions and beliefs.”

Along with questioning the legal aspects of the travel restrictions, the South American country also felt the measure was an effort to “stigmatize our nation under the pretext of fighting terrorism.”

Restrictions will not apply to those that already possess a valid U.S. visa the White House affirmed in its proclamation.