Southwestern Colombia stays under Level 4 warning

The U.S. State Department has kept large parts of Cauca and Valle del Cauca under Level 4: don't Travel after a series of coordinated attacks in late April. Popayán and Cali are excluded from the highest warning, but rural areas and transit corridors in those departments remain covered by the alert.

The Colombia-wide advisory still sits at Level 3: Reconsider Travel because of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters. A U.S. Embassy security alert on April 27 said 26 attacks over the weekend of April 25-27 killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more.

Nomads and travelers face the sharpest risk outside the cities

The warning matters most for expats, digital nomads, tourists and business travelers moving between Cali or Popayán and smaller towns, road corridors or rural zones. The embassy said U.S. government employees are barred from traveling to the affected areas and it described the region as unsafe for travel under any circumstances.

Private insurers and employers may also treat the advisory as a hard limit. That can affect coverage, work travel approvals and any plan that depends on road access through southwestern Colombia. For context on broader country guidance, see our Colombia guide.

Plan around the advisory, not through it

Travelers should avoid nonessential movement outside Cali and Popayán, check routes before leaving and monitor embassy alerts closely. U.S. citizens can enroll in STEP so the embassy can reach them in an emergency.

Keep local emergency numbers handy and review any insurance or company policy before booking onward travel. For more frequent regional updates, follow our visa updates.