[105], Crime rates are higher in 'barrios' or 'ranchos' (slum areas)[106] and after dark. Caracas continues to have one of the highest incidents of murder in the world. [130][dead link] The majority of Venezuelans also believed that there was a poor due process of law while also thinking that the criminal justice system was not timely and judgement was ineffective. Published by Teresa Romero , Apr 21, 2022. Crime statistics indicate the crime rate rose from 700 per 100,000 population in 1972 to 1,300 per 100,000 population in 1990. [60] In March 2012, Venezuela's National Assembly removed Supreme Court Justice Eladio Aponte Aponte from his post after an investigation revealed alleged ties to drug-trafficking;[61] on the day he was to face questioning, Aponte Aponte fled the country, and has sought refuge in the U.S., where he began to cooperate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Justice. [81] Some weapons given to the groups include assault rifles, submachine guns and grenades. The staggering crime figures released by the Venezuelan government do not do justice to the actual number of murders committed in the country, because the government's figures do not include "deaths of unknown cause" nor "deaths from resisting authority." 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. 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. [81] Chvez eliminated the Metropolitan Police in 2011, turning security over to the colectivos in some Caracas barrios. [99] Venezuela has been ranked one of the most corrupt countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index, going back to the start of the survey in 1995. Venezuela's current population growth rate is in negatives, mostly due to negative net migration. [80] Despite the Venezuelan government's statements saying that only official authorities can carry weapons for the defense of Venezuela, colectivos are armed with automatic rifles such as AK-47s, submachine guns, fragmentation grenades, and tear gas. In one incident involving a crashed truck, hundreds of men, women and children looted the vehicle. [40][41] It was also reported that police would intercept the families of the victims and take them to the library of the University Institute of the Scientific Police (IUPOLC) where authorities offered families ways to "streamline procedures and advise them not to give information to the press in return for their aid". By 2008, those countries had maintained roughly the same homicide rate while Venezuela's had skyrocketed to 50 murders per 100,000 citizens. According to a victimization survey conducted by Venezuela's National Institute of Statistics, in the year leading up to July 2009, 46 kidnappings took place every day in Venezuela, a much . [117][104] The United Nations has stated that the Venezuelan government is lacking 20,000 investigative police. Despite the introduction of the new law, the majority of cases are not resolved and only received the Venezuelan government's attention in high-profile cases. 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. [132], There are a total of 34 prisons in Venezuela holding about 50,000 inmates. Backlinks from other websites and blogs are the lifeblood of our site and are our primary source of new traffic. [5] Chvez's government sought a cultural hegemony by promoting class conflict and social fragmentation, which in turn encouraged "criminal gangs to kill, kidnap, rob and extort". [134] Their occupancy level is at a shocking 153.9% according to 2016 studies. Crippling poverty exists in this South American nation on a . Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Lots of frustration, little hope. Venezuela. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/984669/homicide-rate-venezuela/, Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022, (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants), Latin America & Caribbean: homicide rates 2021, by city, Latin America & Caribbean: homicides number 2021, by city, Latin America & Caribbean: number of homicide victims 2020, Brazil: number of homicides 2007-2019, by region, Brazil: number of homicides 2019, by state, Number of homicides in Colombia 2021, by region, Colombia: share of homicides 2020, by area, Number of homicides involving a knife in England and Wales 2008-2022, Homicides by method of killing in England and Wales 2022, Number of homicide cases in Scotland 2019/20, by main motive for killing, Homicide crimes in Romania 2005-2015, by type of weapon used, Venezuela: number of homicides 2020, by selected city, Brazil: homicides number 2021, by selected city, Perceived and actual main causes of violent death in India 2018, U.S.: number of violent victimizations, by victimoffender relationship 2003-2012, Canada: number of violent crimes 2021, by type, Number of violent crime victims in the U.S. in 2019, by age group and crime, Child victims of family-related homicides in Canada in 2016, by cause of death, Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants), Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. 10 Facts about Violence in Venezuela. [108] As a result of the high levels of crime, Venezuelans were forced to change their ways of life due to the large insecurities they continuously experienced. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Show sources information In 2019, the murder rate declined significantly to 60.3. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. [93] FOX News says that, "Much of the crime has been attributed by analysts to government-backed gangsreferred to in Spanish as colectivoswho were deliberately put in place by the government", and that "while Venezuelan citizens were stripped of their legal recourse to bear arms, the 'collectivos'established by Chavez when came to powerwere legally locked and loaded," critics say. Don't go expecting justice if you are a victim of crime - only a very small percentage of crimes result in trials and convictions. The report stated that 33% of kidnappings occurred in the capital city of Caracas and that hundreds of kidnappings happen every year. [52], El Pas reported in 2014 that Chvez had years earlier assigned colectivos to be "the armed wing of the Bolivarian Revolution" for the Venezuelan government, giving them weapons, communication systems, motorcycles and surveillance equipment to exercise control in the hills of Caracas where police are forbidden entry. According to Numbeo, Venezuela is the country with the highest crime rate which is 84.36. Murder rate : Homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants in various countries. [7][8][9][10] By 2015, crime, which was often the topic Venezuelans worried about the most according to polls, was the second largest concern compared to shortages in Venezuela. . . In August the attorney general's office reported that of the more than 6 thousand police officers implicated in killings during the last 5 years, only 88 were convicted. [56] According to Interpol, the files found by Colombian forces were considered to be authentic. [24], The U.S. Bureau of Diplomatic Security says most of the violence comes from organized street gangs, and attributes criminal activity to four factors: "often corrupt" underpaid police, an "inefficient and politicized judicial system", problems in the prison system, and widespread availability of weapons. [107] Petty crime such as pick-pocketing is prevalent, particularly in public transport terminals in Caracas. Ministra asegura que el sistema penitenciario venezolano es el mejor del mundo", "23 Inmates Killed in Venezuelan Prison Uprising, Says Rights Group", "Venezuela prison riot leaves more than 40 dead", "In Venezuela's prisons, inmates are the wardens", "The Modern History of Venezuela, Why Still So Much Crime? [5] Following the "institutional crisis" surrounding the Venezuelan government and the socioeconomic issues shown during the Caracazo riots in 1989 and Hugo Chvez's 1992 coup attempts, homicides increased in Venezuela. Only a very small percentage of criminals are tried and convicted. [Online]. [26], Venezuela is currently among the countries with the highest murder rates in the world. Venezuela has a crime index of 83.76, the highest of any country in the world. Venezuela has a high crime rate. Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2016 was 58.31, a 12.06% increase from 2015. Within the United States, crime rates vary between different states. There is no evidence to indicate criminals and gang-related activities specifically target U.S. citizens. In 2022, there were nearly 40.4 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, down from a homicide rate of 40.9 year earlier. Caracas, Venezuela reputedly has a murder rate over 100 per 100,000. [86][87] Amnesty International calls them "armed pro-government supporters who are tolerated or supported by the authorities". Honduras took the first position with a This is a situation that currently affects the life of every Venezuelan. In a report . [88] An Organization of American States report on human rights violations in Venezuela stated that colectivos murdered at least 131 individuals between 2014 and 2017 during the anti-government protests. By the end of last year, prices were doubling . 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. Venezuela Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023, Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2017 was, Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2016 was, Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2015 was, Venezuela crime rate & statistics for 2014 was. [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. Show publisher information [27], In 2010, The New York Times stated that according to news reports, data from human rights groups, such as the OVV's statistics, may actually be undercounting the number of those murdered in Venezuela. Many people are victimized by crime because of fear and the perceived inability of Venezuela's criminal justice system to prevent crime. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. Phil Gunson, a freelance reporter for foreign media, states that, "It's no secret that many colectivos engage in criminal activities." In 1990, 31,861 violent crimes, 184,126 property crimes, and 6,405 drug crimes were reported. [5] In 1994, when Rafael Caldera became president, he attempted to strengthen Venezuela's "institution", staying in the center of political issues, performing both conservative and reformative actions that resulted in the increase of the murder rate stopping; though his popularity and the public's trust in the political system decreased.[5]. [36] According to the World Bank, the 2016 homicide rate was 56 per 100,000, making Venezuela third in the world, after El Salvador and Honduras. In 2020, the country had a crime rate of 99.7 per 100,000 people. Home invasions involve large groups of heavily armed criminals who take over houses or apartment complexes, and rob the owners or all the occupants. In 2013, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published the homicide report, and Venezuela was positioned as the second highest homicide rate in the world with a 1. 5. Challenging infrastructure problems and prolific corruption within law enforcement and the judicial system, continue to be important factors with regard to crime response and prevention. US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, International Crime Statistics Program, Territories Financial Support Center (TFSC), Tribal Financial Management Center (TFMC). A lock ( The crime rate in the United State is 47.77 which is more than 55 countries. All of this is done while driving the victim around the city for several hours. From 1917, "greater awareness of the country's oil potential had the pernicious effect of increasing the corruption and intrigue amongst Gomez's family and entourage, the consequences of which would be felt up to 1935 B. S. McBeth (2002). Honduras had 41.7 homicides per 100,000 people in 2017. Human rights groups suggest that the government's policing efforts are too "timid". . Venezuela crisis in brief. Venezuela: homicide rate 2020, by city. [132], Carlos Nieto, head of Window to Freedom, alleges that heads of gangs acquire military weapons from the state saying, They have the types of weapons that can only be obtained by the country's armed forces. Kidnappings, whether traditional, express or virtual, are a growing industry in Venezuela. [146], In May 2020, inmates rioted at the Llanos Penitentiary Center in Guanare, leading to 40 deaths. This left police across the country vastly out-gunned by narcotraffickers and other criminal groups. Find out how to stay safe in Venezuela in 2022 with our guide. [5] This introduced to the Venezuelan population the notion of not following the societal rules and using violence to achieve goals, such as widespread looting during the Caracazo or by attempting to commit undemocratic coups such as in 1992. Prison population total. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Venezuela Crime Profiles (Subcategories) Fear of crime 9: Smuggling of migrants 4: Perceived problems 4: Suicide rates 3: Prisoners 4: Violent crime 6: Punishment 6: Venezuela categories. Still, if there is a uniting factor, it has to do with Venezuela's searing rate of violent crime, including . [25] The New Yorker reporter found that even stairwells in a public hospital were not safe from robbers, who preyed on staff and patients despite the large number of security forces guarding the hospital, saying this was because the police were assigned to contain journalists who might embarrass the government with exposs on the state of the hospital; they were not assigned to protect its occupants. Venezuela is a source for flora and fauna crimes, including illegally extracted timber and Cucurito palm, facilitated by the lack of investigations, inventories, or government presence in national parks. [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. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. The penal reform also included provisions for the prosecution of any police officer found to have made an arrest "without cause." [75][76][77], There was little history of organized crime in Venezuela until the start of the Bolivarian Revolution. Perez also states that evidence shows that crime is organized from within these prisons. [85] Human Rights Watch described colectivos as "armed gangs who use violence with impunity" to harass political opponents of the Venezuelan government. United States of America. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Home invasions and other complex crimes are well planned and involve the use of a person with inside knowledge or a scam (such as impersonating police, delivery personnel, or utility company personnel) to gain access. Following this year, the population is expected to start growing again for the next few decades. But perhaps the most ironic contribution to Venezuela's high crime rate may lie in the failure of Chavez's government to fully deliver on the egalitarian . It is estimated that Venezuela's population will reach its peak of 35.57 million by 2063. The majority of violent crimes in Venezuela take place in impoverished areas. Caracas continues to be notorious for the brazenness of certain high profile, violent crimes such as murder, robberies and kidnappings. And, Qatar is the country with the least crime rate with 12.29 people per 100,000. (February 8, 2023). Venezuela was once the wealthiest country in South America, but in recent years millions have fled the country amid mass starvation and violence after socialist policies were enacted and . There is a high threat from violent crime and kidnapping throughout Venezuela, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Murder rate: Homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants in various countries. [5] According to Gareth A. Jones and Dennis Rodgers in their book Youth violence in Latin America: Gangs and Juvenile Justice in Perspective, "With the change of political regime in 1999 and the initiation of the Bolivarian Revolution, a period of transformation and political conflict began, 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. Economic Indicators for Venezuela including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Venezuela economy. [65], Two nephews of Maduro's wife Cilia Flores, Efran Antonio Campo Flores and Francisco Flores de Freitas, were involved in the narcosobrinos incident and found guilty for their alleged involvement in illicit activities such as drug trafficking in November 2016, with some of their funds possibly assisting President Maduro's presidential campaign in the 2013 Venezuelan presidential election and potentially for the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary elections, with the funds mainly used to "help their family stay in power". If the experts are right, for the year 2009 there was an alarming 9.2 incidents of kidnapping per 100,000 inhabitants in Venezuela. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. No one else has these. Use of internet and mobile phones are also a commonplace where criminals can take part in street crime while in prison. Please check your download folder. In, InSight Crime. In 2009, there were record levels of murders (nearly 1,500), robberies (3,000), and kidnappings (99) reported to the Police in Miranda. Private gun ownership was banned in Venezuela in June 2012, but their homicide rate went from 73 per 100,000 people in 2012 to 82 per 100,000 people in 2015. Originally, looters would wait for trucks to crash and loot the scene, though recently trucks have been attacked instead. In many cases, Colombian terrorists or local guerillas are believed to be the perpetrators. [80] In 2006, they received arms and funding from the state when they were brought under the government's community councils. The police allegedly collaborated with the robbers, receiving a cut of what they stole. Traditional kidnappings also remain a security concern in Venezuela. [128] Colectivos stated to the Venezuelan government that they were not going to participate in the disarmament plan, stating that they were groups involved with the Bolivarian Revolution and that criminal gangs should instead be focused on. Professor Neelie Perez from the University of Caracas explained how it is difficult for the government to control prisons without resorting to violence, therefore recognizing and legitimizing high ranking prisoners as heads of prisons. [24] InSight Crime says the crisis has "all too often been obscured by the government's reluctance to release damning crime statistics". In mid-2004 Venezuela's estimated population totaled 26.2 million, which would be a murder rate of 42 per 100,000. [45], False or "virtual" kidnappings are also used in Venezuela. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees . But even as crime climbs, the number of police battling criminals is falling. San Pedro Sula, in the northwest of the country, is at the center of much of this small Central American country's violence. [15] The murder rate declined even further to 60.3 in 2019. [13][14], In spite of significant socioeconomic problems, the murder rate in Venezuela decreased between 2017 and 2020. [121] Some have criticized Plan Patria Segura calling it a failure after crime continued to increase following its implementation. You only have access to basic statistics. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 4 travel advisory for Venezuela, indicating that it is unsafe to travel to the country, and travelers should not travel there. [41][46][47] According to the leaked INE report, only 1,332 investigations for kidnappings were opened or about 7% of the total kidnapping cases, with 90% of the kidnappings happening away from rural areas, 80% of all being express kidnappings and the most common victim being lower-middle or middle class Venezuelans and middle-aged men. [78] The Bolivarian government was seen as being lenient on crime and justifying the criminals by saying they were poor and exploited. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. [95] As blackouts continued, on 31 March, citizens protested the lack of electricity and water in Caracas and other cities; Maduro called again on the colectivos, asking them "to defend the peace of every barrio, of every block". Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. Fauna crime is spurred by demand from the US, China and Europe. [48], On 13 May 2013, President Nicolas Maduro initiated Plan Patria Segura saying "we have decided to fight to build a secure homeland". Recent years have brought significant food shortages to Venezuela, prompting more than six million people to leave the country. Table 1Crime in the United States, by Volume and Rate per 100,000 Inhabitants, 2000-2019 Table 1ACrime in the United States, Percent Change in Volume and Rate per 100,000 Inhabitants for 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years. One prisoner explained how, If the guards mess with us, we shoot them and that he had "seen a man have his head cut off and people play football with it.[139], In a Journeyman Pictures documentary titled Venezuela - Party Prison, a reporter visits San Antonio Prison on Margarita Island. [114][115], During the presidency of the Hugo Chvez, more than 20 programs were created attempting to deter crime, though insecurity continued to increase following their implementation. (year, prison population total, prison population rate) Year .