The U.S.State Department recently updated its travel advisory for a tourism-heavy South American country — flagging risks ranging from violent crime and kidnapping to terrorism and dangerous drugs.Peru's Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory was just updated, though officials said the overall advisory level did not change.Americans are warned about crime, unrest, kidnapping and terrorism across the country, while several areas carry the more severe Level 4 "Do Not Travel" designation.TRAVELERS WARNED OF MURDER, KIDNAPPINGS AND DRINK-SPIKING ROBBERIES IN VACATION HOT SPOTAngel Castellanos, a California-based travel expert, said Americans venturing beyond Peru's major tourist areas should take the warnings seriously and research their destinations — while pointing out the advisory does not apply to many popular tourist areas."If you're venturing outside those areas, that's when the State Department invites us as responsible travelers to really investigate further and to look into these situations further," Castellanos told Fox News Digital.The U.S.
State Department updated its travel advisory for a popular destination in South America, warning Americans about crime, unrest, kidnapping and terrorism.(Paul Gambin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)Officials say there are risks of "petty theft, carjackings, muggings, assaults, and other violent crime" that "often happen even in daylight hours and with many witnesses around."The State Department also warned of "express kidnappings," in which victims are taken to a bank and forced to withdraw funds from their own accounts.Officials said that, while rare, such kidnappings "may occur."US WARNS AMERICANS TO AVOID VACATION HOT SPOT AMID QUAKE FALLOUT AND VIOLENT CRIME"The risk of crime increases at night," the Sept.
4 advisory added."Criminal groups sometimes set up roadblocks to rob people in areas outside of Lima."Americans are advised not to travel to the Colombia-Peru border area in Loreto or the Valley of the Apur�...