BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados authorities have described as yet another “fake report” aimed at deliberating attempting to tarnish the country’s image, a decision by the United States to issue its highest travel advisory warning Americans not to visit the Caribbean issued its highest-level travel advisory—Level 4 “Do Not Travel”—
“There is no basis for this fake news story going around. Unfortunately, such incidents occur. People go out of their way to try to destroy the image of the country,’ Foreign Affairs Minister Kerrie Symmonds said.
The United States Embassy here has also issued a formal statement indicating that Barbados remains at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions, the lowest level of its four-tier travel advisory system.
Earlier this month, the Barbados government described an online video commenting on the country’s foreign policy with the United States as containing information that is “false, misleading, and wholly fictitious”.
The statement from the Office of the Prime Minister categorically denied claims made in the report against United States President Donald Trump.
The video was posted on YouTube under the title “What Barbados Just Did to Trump Will Leave Americans in Shock – 2025 Update.”
In the latest video circulating on social media, the report claimed that the US State Department had escalated its advisory due to a “significant deterioration in the security environment”, citing a surge in violent crime, disruptions to critical services, and limited access to emergency medical care.
The message, which bore formatting similar to official US government notices and claimed to have come from the US Embassy in Bridgetown, was widely circulated on social media and private messaging apps, such as WhatsApp.
It claimed that armed robberies, home invasions, and organised criminal activity were targeting foreigners, and urged American citizens to consider leaving Barbados by commercial means if safe to do so.
But the US Embassy here advised that official updates on consular matters are only issued through trusted platforms, including the Smart Traveler Enrollment Programme (STEP), which allows Americans to register their travel for real-time alerts and assistance during emergencies.
Meanwhile, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) said it wanted to “extend sincere thanks to the US Embassy in Barbados for promptly addressing and correcting misinformation recently circulated on social media regarding travel to Barbados.
“The BTMI deeply appreciates the Embassy’s swift clarification, which supports our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety, comfort, and peace of mind of all travellers to Barbados.
At BTMI, the safety and trust of our visitors remain our top priority. We urge travellers and the public to always verify information through official embassy channels before sharing or acting on reports seen online.”
The BTMI said that to ensure travellers have access to accurate, timely, and official information, it was urging them to use official links and “to rely only on trusted government sources when seeking updates about their destinations. Unverified information can lead to unnecessary concern and confusion.
“Barbados remains open, welcoming, and committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors. We look forward to welcoming you to Barbados,” the BTMI added.
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