While the government has refused to release its own statistics for years, a recent report by an NGO, the Venezuelan Observatory on Violence, estimates that 24,000 people were murdered in 2013 . [15] The murder rate declined even further to 60.3 in 2019. [40][41] At that time, they would advise families not to speak to report the murder of their family member to the media in exchange to have the process of recovering the victims body in an expedited manner. ", "Venezuela election is a high stakes affair for local vigilante groups", "Colectivos de paz accionan armas de fuego en la Rmulo Gallegos ante mirada de la GNB", "Colectivos estaran involucrados e12 homicidios 25/03/14Caracas", "Venezuela violence puts focus on militant 'colectivo' groups", "Nights of terror: Attacks and illegal raids on homes in Venezuela", "OAS says to present evidence of Venezuela rights violations to The Hague", "Colectivos en Venezuela: Organizaciones sociales o criminales? [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. [51][52] Most kidnapping victims are released after a ransom is paid, but in 2016, at least 18 kidnapped people were killed. In 2009, there were record levels of murders (nearly 1,500), robberies (3,000), and kidnappings (99) reported to the Police in Miranda. Perez also states that evidence shows that crime is organized from within these prisons. 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. ", "Armed civilian bands in Venezuela prop up unpopular president", "Political Divisions Fuel Venezuela's Most Violent Year", "US pulls all staff from Venezuela as Maduro blames blackout on 'demonic' Trump plot", "Venezuela: Maduro calls on armed groups to keep order amid electricity rationing", "Venezuela's Maduro announces power rationing amid outages", "The World Is Getting More Corrupt, and These Are the 5 Worst Offenders", "Pro-Government Motorcycle Militias Terrorize Venezuela", "Venezuela: Police corruption blamed for kidnapping epidemic", "How videos of supermarket raids show what life is like in Venezuela", "Venezuelan city under effective curfew after mass looting", "Venezuelan soap star Monica Spear, ex-husband murdered", "German tourist, 76, shot dead on Venezuelan island", "La reforma policial en Venezuela, tarea inconclusa del chavismo", "Crmenes brutales en Venezuela: Ejecuciones extrajudiciales dejan ms de ocho mil muertos", "Hoy comienza el Plan Patria Segura: "La Fanb sale a la calle a proteger el pueblo" (+video)", "Colectivos le dicen NO al plan de desarme del gobierno bolivariano", "Former Miss Venezuela Murdered In Roadside Attack", "Diciembre fue el mes ms violento del 2014, 500 muertos solo en Caracas", "Denuncian aumento de homicidios en Zulia durante 2014", "Presin de colectivos incidi en salida de Rodrguez Torres", "Relanzado Plan Patria Segura este sbado en todo el territorio nacional (+Fotos)", "Caracas: Cabo Vadillo Temporada 1; Programa 2", "Corruption by Country / Territory: Venezuela", "La situacin de las crceles venezolanas es una tragedia, dice la ONU", "Violence eases at overcrowded Venezuelan jail", "OVP: Venezuela minti en Examen Peridico Universal de Derechos Humanos", http://prisonstudies.org/country/united-states-america, "De verdad, Iris Varela? From 2019 to 2020, the population change was -0.28%. 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. Crime in Venezuela. Chart. [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. [91] As colectivos attempted to gain independence from the government, they began "controlling organized crime like drug trafficking in Caracas barrios". With a population of over 2.9 million inhabitants, the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants in the greater Caracas area was 71. [13][14], In spite of significant socioeconomic problems, the murder rate in Venezuela decreased between 2017 and 2020. [58][59] According to Greg Palast, the claim about Chavez's $300 million is based on the following (translated) sentence: "With relation to the 300, which from now on we will call 'dossier', efforts are now going forward at the instructions of the cojo [slang term for 'cripple'], which I will explain in a separate note." Currently, you are using a shared account. [104] The Metropolitan Police force in Caracas was so corrupt that it was accused of assisting some of the 17,000 kidnappings. [51][52] Available data underestimates the amount of express kidnapping, where victims are typically released in less than two days after relatives pay a quick ransom. [138], In Venezuelan prisons, there are reports of prisoners having easy access to firearms, drugs and alcohol. Venezuela's current population growth rate is in negatives, mostly due to negative net migration. 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. Many people are victimized by crime because of fear and the perceived inability of Venezuela's criminal justice system to . 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. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular . Please check your download folder. [15] The U.S. Bureau of Diplomatic Security stated that there were 73 daily violent deaths in 2018. [132], Venezuelan rights groups report that the 34 prisons in Venezuela hold 50,000 people but are only supposed to hold about one-third of that. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. HOMICIDES / 2 APR 2015 BY VENEZUELA INVESTIGATIVE UNIT EN. [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. While reported incidents of murder in Venezuela decreased slightly to almost 14,000, the number of reported murders in the State of Miranda (which encompasses the greater Caracas area) increased. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded. [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". The discovery of oil worsened political corruption,[98] and by the late 1970s, Juan Pablo Prez Alfonso's description of oil as "the Devil's excrement" became a common expression in Venezuela. [63] Venezuelan officials have also been allegedly working with Mexican drug cartels. [46] Since the local police are not trusted by Venezuelans, kidnappings are usually not reported and cannot be combated by the authorities. 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. 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. You only have access to basic statistics. [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. [75][76][77], There was little history of organized crime in Venezuela until the start of the Bolivarian Revolution. . 2020 MPD Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted; 2019 MPD Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted; [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. Congresswoman Delsa Solorzano -- also the vice president of opposition party Un . [22], Venezuela is especially dangerous toward foreign travelers and investors who are visiting. [63] On 15 February 2014, a commander for the Guard was stopped while driving to Valencia with his family and was arrested for having 554 kilos of cocaine in his possession. Sentences are determined by trial judges, and possible penalties include fines, restitution, probation, and incarceration. [citation needed] This is due to Venezuela's economic problems. Find out how to stay safe in Venezuela in 2022 with our guide. 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. [84] The Civil Association for Citizen Control said that more than half of those killed during the protests were killed by colectivos. Show publisher information Police authorities cite a lack of resources, under-staffing, payroll issues and lack of response by the judicial and corrections systems, as the key reasons why response times are delayed and a significant amount of criminals go unpunished. Food Shortages are Common. San Pedro Sula, in the northwest of the country, is at the center of much of this small Central American country's violence. [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. Fauna crime is spurred by demand from the US, China and Europe. [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. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. 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. . By one estimate the country has the highest per-capita murder rate in the world. Express kidnappings (secuestro express) have become more common than traditional kidnappings. 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. Following this year, the population is expected to start growing again for the next few decades. . After surviving the short-lived coup in April 2002, Chavez disarmed state and local police forces to prevent future uprisings. Levels of gratuitous violence are on the increase and the majority of criminals use lethal weapons in the course of carrying out their activities. Violent crime is rife in both the capital Caracas and the interior, and as a foreigner you are a prime target. But the Venezuela Violence Observatory, a respected nonprofit group, estimates that murders dropped from 89 per 100,000 people in 2017 to 81.4 last year. There have been several high profile kidnappings that have resulted in murder, including the killings of three minor Canadian brothers, a wealthy Italo-Venezuelan businessman, and the daughter of a senior Venezuelan military commander. The elevated risk for local employees can be attributed to disparity between upscale expatriate neighborhoods and the rest of the city. Home invasions involve large groups of heavily armed criminals who take over houses or apartment complexes, and rob the owners or all the occupants. From organized crime to tap water, there are a few things to look out for when traveling Venezuela. [5] In the 1960s following the restoration of democracy, insecurity rose when FALN leftist guerrillas participated in violent confrontations with the government, though such clashes subsided due to lack of public support for the guerrilla movement. The report stated that 33% of kidnappings occurred in the capital city of Caracas and that hundreds of kidnappings happen every year. }, Page last modified:
[40], Director James Brabazon stated that "kidnapping crimes had skyrocketed after late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez freed thousands of violent prisoners as part of controversial criminal justice system reforms" while also increasing due to Colombian organized crime as well. 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. In 2019, the murder rate declined significantly to 60.3. 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 . Every Caracas neighborhood is susceptible to crime. Monthly Reports. Some kidnap victims have been released after ransom payments, while others have been murdered. Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2022 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants) [Graph]. A lock ( Venezuela - Crime. [133], By 2018 deep into the crisis in Bolivarian Venezuela, prisoners suffered from starvation and communicable diseases in addition to violence as a result of the mismanagement and overcrowding of prisons. In 2020, the country had a crime rate of 99.7 per 100,000 people. Over the last several years, Venezuela has become a pivotal player in the international drug trafficking game. Phil Gunson, a freelance reporter for foreign media, states that, "It's no secret that many colectivos engage in criminal activities." Police officers : Number of police officers per 100,000 population. 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. Latin America & Caribbean: homicide rate 2022, by country, Latin America & Caribbean: intentional homicide rate 2020, by country. [37] OVV data has 23,047 homicides committed in Venezuela in 2018, a rate of 81.4 per 100,000 people, with the decline being attributed to emigration. Listed rates only reflect crimes that have been reported to the authorities. Therefore, it is common practice in Caracas to never resist an attempted robbery. 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. Since then, Venezuela has faced extreme inflation that exacerbates with each passing year. [83] According to ABC News, "it is widely believed that colectivos kill drug traffickers who do not obey their orders". VENEZUELA. Despite these high rates of violence, the international community knows relatively little about the dynamics underlying conflict in the city. 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. Venezuela crisis in brief. Statista. When you have a functioning democracy and you have the opposition and the government in power, there's different solutions to problems; people debate, people discuss. [133] According to the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons (OVP), from 1999 to 2015, there were 22,998 violent incidents, with 16,417 injured and 6,581 inmates killed. In mid-2004 Venezuela's estimated population totaled 26.2 million, which would be a murder rate of 42 per 100,000. Facebook: quarterly number of MAU (monthly active users) worldwide 2008-2022, Quarterly smartphone market share worldwide by vendor 2009-2022, Number of apps available in leading app stores Q3 2022, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. [132], There are a total of 34 prisons in Venezuela holding about 50,000 inmates. [11] Crimes related to shortages and hunger increased shortly after with growing incidents of looting occurring throughout the country. the country has a murder rate of about 67 per 100,000 inhabitants. Is Venezuela poor? More than 330 police officers were murdered across Venezuela last year, . All of this is done while driving the victim around the city for several hours. [56] According to Interpol, the files found by Colombian forces were considered to be authentic. [122][123][124], Days after the replacement of the plan's creator Miguel Rodrguez Torres by Carmen Melndez as Minister of the Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace,[125] Melendez announced that the Venezuelan government would relaunch Plan Patria Segura for a second time. Dec. 28, 2015. The police force is organized according to a quasi-military hierarchy and includes urban police agencies, the National Guard, state police, and municipal and provincial police forces. Year End Reports. 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. Recent years have brought significant food shortages to Venezuela, prompting more than six million people to leave the country. Chavez's penal code reform of 1999 led to 12,000 criminals being released from jail and put back on the streets without supervision. 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 . [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. * The figure refers to the violent death rate, which includes violent deaths in which the cause of death is unknown, as well as deadly confrontations involving security forces. Crimes vary widely between states and countries, with crime rates much higher than in the USA's largest . A private organization, the Venezuelan Violence Observatory (OVV), puts the rate in 2015 at over 90 per 100,000 people.