Venezuela has 1.5 police officers per 1,000 residents, while U.S. cities average 3.8 per 1,000. In a report . [66][67] Due to the fact that the "sobrinos" (nephews in Spanish) of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were arrested for narcotics trafficking, the media described the nephews as the narcosobrinos. [57], Independent analyses of the documents by a number of U.S. academics and journalists have challenged the Colombian interpretation of the documents, accusing the Colombian government of exaggerating their contents. South Africa - 36.40. The Venezuelan Observatory on Violence (VOV) reported a 14 percent increase in violent crimes from 2012 to 2013. Maracaibo, Venezuela. 10. For Crime Statistics, please contact Lance Eber at (209) 385-4701. Venezuela - 36.69. Originally, looters would wait for trucks to crash and loot the scene, though recently trucks have been attacked instead. [52], Many kidnappings are not reported to police in Venezuela since they are not trusted. The police allegedly collaborated with the robbers, receiving a cut of what they stole. Congresswoman Delsa Solorzano -- also the vice president of opposition party Un . They occur when criminals force their victims to extract cash from ATM machines or to make purchases with the victims credit cards until the card is shut off. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Even the government's official statistics show that 1,050 kidnappings were reported this year through October - which is 23 times more than number recorded when Hugo Chvez was elected 13 years ago . Phil Gunson, a freelance reporter for foreign media, states that, "It's no secret that many colectivos engage in criminal activities." Level of crime: 93.11: Very High: Crime increasing in the past 3 years: 86.72: Very High: Worries home broken and things stolen: 76.20: High: Worries being mugged or robbed . These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years. In 2009 reported kidnappings more than doubled from the previous year. In 2020, the country had a crime rate of 99.7 per 100,000 people. Much like Valencia, Maracaibo offers a big city feel but has a bit of a higher crime rate. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS [32][33], The OVV puts the homicide rate for 2013 at approximately 79 per 100,000[27] and the murder rate in the capital Caracas at 122 per 100,000 residents. Deaths in street crime are so common that one of Venezuela's principal NGOs, the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, is launching an advertising campaign featuring . [46] On 22 September 2014, President Maduro announced that his government would invest $47 million to create 60 new disarmament centers, and $39 million to fund a plan under which soldiers would patrol the most dangerous neighborhoods. [3] According to the Venezuelan government, the homicide rate in 2013 dropped from 50 to 39 per 100,000. . Since 2017, when it peaked . In 1990, 31,861 violent crimes, 184,126 property crimes, and 6,405 drug crimes were reported. But drug interdiction efforts and law enforcement pressure . The prison is described as a "paradise", with a community including pools, bars, a boxing ring and many other accommodations for any visitor of prisoners who can stay the night at the prison for up to three days per week. It is estimated that Venezuela's population will reach its peak of 35.57 million by 2063. The prosecutorial and judicial process is concerned with rights of the accused and procedures for bringing suspects to trial. Thor Halvorssen, founder of the Human Rights Foundation[17], Under Hugo Chvez, the "institution" of Venezuela deteriorated, with political instability, impunity and violent government language increasing. Such judicial efficiency is extraordinary in Venezuela, a country of 28 million inhabitants, of which at least five are kidnapped every day. 5. Still, if there is a uniting factor, it has to do with Venezuela's searing rate of violent crime, including . The BBC seriously repeats the Venezuelan government's claim that the ban is Varela was also known to be acquainted with El Conejo, as critic Carlos Nieto showed the reporter a photo of Varela with El Conejo on his bed. Some kidnap victims have been released after ransom payments, while others have been murdered. Crime levels in the Greater Caracas area remain severe and widespread. This unindustrialized nation is steeped in natural beauty and just waiting to be discovered, but this doesn't mean you can go wandering alone in the Amazon. [5] In the 1950s, the rapid urbanization of the population saw some rises in violent crime. [118], In 2008, the National Assembly passed the Law Against Kidnapping and Extortion (Ley contra el Secuestro y la Extorsin), a law that imposes penalties of up to 30 years in prison to address a kidnapping situation that was not covered by a specific law. [94] Some colectivos patrol the 23 de Enero barrio on motorcycles, masked and armed, supposedly to protect the neighborhood from criminals such as drug dealers. . The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country. This overview of Venezuela's criminal justice system encompasses political and legal systems, the nature and extent of crime, victims, law enforcement, the prosecutorial and judicial process, the judicial system, penalties and sentencing, the prison system, and extradition and treaties. [39], In 2009, it was reported that Venezuelan authorities would assign judicial police to Caracas area morgues to speak with families. A nongovernmental group that tracks crime in Venezuela says the homicide rate climbed in 2015, putting the country on track to be one of the most violent in the world. Before President Hugo Chavez came to power, Venezuela had a homicide rate similar to that of Brazil and Mexico, of between 18 and 20 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. [126], In 2013, it was reported that Venezuela was one of the most weaponized areas in the world, with one firearm per two citizens. Jumping to the year 2014, the rate was 166, and as of 2016 the rate was at 173 [135], In 2018, Minister of Prison Service Iris Varela stated that when "[c]omparing the Venezuelan prison system with other penitentiary systems in the world, I can guarantee that this is the best in the world, because there have been no incidents", ignoring at least the April 2018 fire that occurred in the police station jails in Valencia, Carabobo where 68 people died per official figures. The criticism follows attacks last year by Maduro on violent video games and the Hollywood movie "Spider-man." ", InSight Crime, Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/984669/homicide-rate-venezuela/ (last visited March 04, 2023), Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants) [Graph], InSight Crime, February 8, 2023. They also mentioned that hundreds of violent deaths occur at Venezuelan prisons each year. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. [51][52] While it is against the law to pay a ransom, according to criminologists, at least 80% of kidnappings are not reported for fear of retaliation,[53] or because relatives prefer to negotiate, hoping the hostage will be released and fearing they will be killed if authorities are contacted. . The new statistics come from the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), which released its mid-year 2022 crime report on Thursday, examining crime data from 29 cities. [28][31] PROVEA figures provided in the UN's 2014 Global Homicide Book put Venezuela's homicide rate at 53.7 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012, closer to the Venezuelan government's 2012 estimate,[29] but still the second highest peacetime murder rate in the world after Honduras (estimated at 90.4). Gunson reported that colectivos combat criminal gangs in neighborhoods and take over the previous gang's business in crime and also take over buildings already owned by individuals and collect rent from the owners. [82][83], During the 2014 Venezuelan protests against Maduro, colectivos acted against the opposition protesters. Perez also states that evidence shows that crime is organized from within these prisons. Police officers : Number of police officers per 100,000 population. There is no evidence to indicate criminals and gang-related activities specifically target U.S. citizens. [62][63][64] Aponte says that, while serving as a judge, he was forced to acquit an army commander who had connections with a 2 metric ton shipment of cocaine. The practical effect of the penal code reform was to make police officers more hesitant to make arrests. In the mid-1970s Lesotho witnessed a murder rate of 141 per 100,000, while more recently Columbia's murder rate was variously estimate at between 63 and 84 per 100,000. Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2016 was 58.31, a 12.06% increase from 2015. 32 references, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531, United States, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States, Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000, United States. [SOURCE] In early 2006 the murder rate in Baghdad appeared to be about 200 per 100,000 [SOURCE]. Sentences frequently were light, and convictions often were overturned on appeal. So if you have a police force, it's not about whether you're doing your job, it's about whether you're a revolutionary. Its murder rate is 41.2 homicides per 100,000 people, the fifth-highest in the world. [140][141], Edgardo Lander, a sociologist and professor at the Central University of Venezuela with a PhD in sociology from Harvard University explained that Venezuelan prisons are "practically a school for criminals" since young inmates come out "more sort of trained and hardened than when they went in". Violent crime is rife in both the capital Caracas and the interior, and as a foreigner you are a prime target. Year. [18] The Bolivarian Revolution attempted to "destroy what previously existed, the status quo of society" with instability increasing. San Antonio Prison was controlled by El Conejo (The Rabbit), a powerful jailed drug trafficker who makes his "enforcers" patrol the prison. Reports of armed robberies continue to occur regularly, day or night, in the affluent Caracas residential sections of Chacao, Baruta and El Hatillo. 10 Facts about Violence in Venezuela. More than 330 police officers were murdered across Venezuela last year, . Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. [78], In the World Report 2014 by Human Rights Watch, the organization stated that "Venezuelan prisons are among the most violent in Latin America". Are you interested in testing our business solutions? Police officers are authorized to use force, stop and apprehend suspects, and conduct searches and seizures. in 15 years of Chvista rule, there have been 13 . Venezuela: homicide rate 2020, by city. Crime in Venezuela can be attributed to several factors; poverty, retribution, drugs, gangs, and politics. There's a lot of poverty in the country, which can lead to desperate measures taken by some people. Venezuela's current population growth rate is in negatives, mostly due to negative net migration. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. [48], On 13 May 2013, President Nicolas Maduro initiated Plan Patria Segura saying "we have decided to fight to build a secure homeland". marked by a further increase in the number and rate of violent deaths" showing that in four years, the murder rate had increased from 25 per 100,000 in 1999 to 44 per 100,000 in 2003. . In 2012, La Planta, a prison built in 1964 with a capacity of 350 inmates, held almost 2,500 inmates with many armed with heavy weapons. Se espera su declaracin pblica en EE UU", "Detienen a comandante de la Milicia con cargamento de drogas", "Venezuela Military Officials Piloted Drug Plane", "La Casa Militar de Maduro custodi el traslado de droga de sus sobrinos", "Venezuelan first lady's nephews convicted in U.S. drug trial", "EEUU: postergaron una vez ms la audiencia de los narcosobrinos de Maduro | Nicols Maduro, Narcotrfico en Venezuela, Nueva York - Amrica", "Restan das para el juicio de los "narcosobrinos", "Difieren audiencia del caso de los "narcosobrinos" de Cilia", "La mujer de Maduro acusa a la DEA de secuestrar a sus "narcosobrinos", "Nicols Maduro, seis das de silencio en torno al escndalo de los 'narcosobrinos', "US Blacklists Thailand, Malaysia Over Trafficking", "The United States blacklists Venezuela in human trafficking", "10 claves para entender las Zonas de Paz", "As operan los 'colectivos', las fuerzas paramilitares chavistas de Venezuela", "The devolution of state power: The 'Colectivos', "Venezuela's Leftist Collectives: Criminals or Revolutionaries? [85] Human Rights Watch described colectivos as "armed gangs who use violence with impunity" to harass political opponents of the Venezuelan government. [18] A more recent 2014 UNICEF report titled Hidden in Plain Sight, it was stated that in Venezuela, along with other Latin American countries, the leading cause of death for males between 10 and 19 is murder. Most violent crimes in Caracas, especially murder, involve firearms. In Venezuela, debate and discussion is not what the government is interested in, they want only loyalty. Edgardo Lander on Reality Asserts Itself (7/9)", "IACHR Reiterates Need to Prevent Acts of Violence in Venezuelan Prison", "Ria colectiva de Uribana cobra dos vidas y deja 128 heridos", "Coliseo en Uribana sigue y llega a 128 heridos", "Venezuela prison riot kills at least 40, including warden", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crime_in_Venezuela&oldid=1127469872, This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 22:16. Investigation of all crime is haphazard and ineffective. Police in Venezuela make arrests for only eight of every 100 murders . [55], In 2007, authorities in Colombia claimed that through laptops they had seized on a raid against Raul Reyes, they found documents purporting to show that Hugo Chvez offered payments of as much as $300 million USD to the FARC. Statistics show Venezuela crime rate is at least eight times the U.S. rate; . Crime rates in Valenzuela, Philippines. [46] Since the local police are not trusted by Venezuelans, kidnappings are usually not reported and cannot be combated by the authorities. [45], In leaked government INE data for kidnappings in the year 2009, the number of kidnappings were at an estimated 16,917, contrasting the CICPCs number of only 673,[43] before the Venezuelan government blocked the data. [69][70][71][72][73][74], According to the Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 by the State Department of the United States, "Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor". "Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants)." [96] Videos circulated on social media showing colectivos threatening protesters and shooting in the streets;[97] two protestors were shot. Retrieved from, Last edited on 14 December 2022, at 22:16, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Minister of the Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, "Latin America Scores Lowest on Security", "Venezuela es el pas ms inseguro del mundo, segn un estudio", "With 28,479 killings, Venezuela takes second spot on world murder ranking", "Tres fases de la violencia homicida en Venezuela", "Chavez leaves Venezuelan economy more equal, less stable", "For Venezuela, Drop In Global Oil Prices Could Be Catastrophic", "Why Venezuelans worry more about food than crime", "Looting and violence on the rise in Venezuela supermarkets", "On Venezuela's highways, a disabled truck increasingly means a looted truck", "Venezuela murder rate dips, partly due to migration: monitoring group", "Venezuela, otra vez el pas ms peligroso de Amrica Latina: registr 16.506 muertes violentas en 2019", "Venezuelan beauty queen gets carjacked at gunpoint", "Venezuelans regret gun ban, 'a declaration of war against an unarmed population', "Crime is so bad in Venezuela that even soldiers were ordered to avoid driving at night", "Los venezolanos creen vivir en el pas ms peligroso del mundo", "Reports of kidnapping in Venezuela nearly double in 2016", "Venezuela rocked by killing of beauty queen Monica Spear", "Venezuela se desangra: rcord de homicidios en 2013", "Venezuela's Homicide Rate Rises, NGO's Report Says", "Venezuela, More Deadly Than Iraq, Wonders Why", "Venezuela sufre 2000 muertes violentas por mes", "Venezuela's Maduro launches civilian disarmament plan", "Observer group: Venezuelan homicide rate rose in 2015, rivaling El Salvador as world's highest", "Venezuela first among the most violent countries in LatAm", "Attorney General's UN Gaffe Reveals Venezuela's Record-High Murder Rate Violence at Epidemic Levels Based on Government's Own Figures", "Venezuela's escalating violence seen in killing of Carolina Herrera's nephew", "One in 10 girls sexually abused worldwide: UN", "Venezuela favorece a los familiares de fallecidos que no informan a la prensa", "Hubo 16,917 secuestros en 2009 en Venezuela", "SeguridadPblicayPrivada VenezuelayBolivia", "Venezuela: Gravsima Crisis de Seguridad Pblica by Lexys Rendon", "Segn el Cicpc el 2011 cerr con 1.150 secuestros en todo el pas Sucesos", "Welcome to Venezuela, the kidnap capital of the world", "Taking no prisoners in the kidnap capital of the world: On the streets of Caracas with an elite police squad", "EN EL 2009 SE COMETIERON MS DE 16.000 SECUESTROS EN VENEZUELA, SEGN EL GOBIERNO LOCAL", "Venezuela y los secuestros diarios que no se reportan", "Ubican a Venezuela en el quinto lugar en riesgo de secuestros", "For Venezuelans, Kidnappings Are Simply Business As Usual", "Agentes de inteligencia venezolanos operan bandas de secuestro y extorsin", "FARC Computer Files Are Authentic, Interpol Probe Finds", "$300 Million From Chavez to FARC a Fake", "Interpol Analysis of FARC Laptop Authenticity Will Not "Prove" Links Between Venezuela, Rebels", "Treasury Targets Venezuelan Government Officials Supporting the FARC", "National Assembly removes Justice Aponte Aponte", "Venezuelan official: Ex-judge 'sold his soul' to the DEA", "Corrupt military officials helping Venezuela drug trade flourish", "Fuente AP: Aponte Aponte est en contacto con la DEA. Venezuela's murder rate decreased from 92 per 100,000 in 2016 to 81.4 in 2018, according to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory (OVV), due in part to criminals joining millions of other Venezuelans in fleeing the country. In the year 2000, the rate was only 58 per 100,000 people. Between 1998-2006, there were 90.027 of murders in Venezuela. [11] Crimes related to shortages and hunger increased shortly after with growing incidents of looting occurring throughout the country. . [citation needed] The United States State Department and the Government of Canada have warned foreign visitors that they may be subjected to armed robbery, kidnapping and murder. [16], In the early-20th century, Venezuela was limited to violent crimes occurring in rural areas. Corrupt Venezuelan police officers may be involved in some 20 percent of the "deaths from resisting authority" that the government tries to keep out of the official tally. People avoid being out The poverty rate in Venezuela is 82 percent, and the unemployment rate is 18 percent. Following this year, the population is expected to start growing again for the next few decades. Its 2018 report, based on input from . [66][67][68] One informant stated that the two would often fly out of Terminal 4 of Simon Bolivar International Airport, a terminal reserved for the president. Colectivos are thought to be partially responsible for the increase in the Venezuelan murder rate, according to the Metropolitan Observatory on Citizen Security. Venezuela: homicide rate 2014-2022. Armed robberies take place in broad daylight throughout the city, including areas generally presumed safe and frequented by tourists. [1][2][3][4] According to a study by the opposition-controlled National Assembly, the annual inflation rate reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018.