U.S. warns travel to Venezuela could be risky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is urging its citizens to think twice about traveling to Venezuela, citing protests and political tensions over the closure of an opposition broadcaster in Caracas.

Nationwide demonstrations sparked by President Hugo Chavez's decision not to renew Radio Caracas Television's (RCTV) broadcast license continue and now students are calling for university strikes, the State Department said in an alert issued on Thursday.

Riot police were out in force near groups of demonstrators and near government buildings in Caracas and other major Venezuelan cities, the notice said, warning that "even demonstrations intended to be peaceful may turn violent."

"In light of the current circumstances, U.S. citizens are advised to consider the risks before traveling to Venezuela at this time," the State Department said.

RCTV's closure on Sunday has led to intermittent clashes between protesters hurling bottles and stones and police firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

The anti-U.S. Chavez has had a long-running feud with opposition television channels, which openly supported a bungled coup against him in April 2002.