NYT writes on crime in Caracas here
The article says this: Crime is bad in Caracas. The stats look bad. Poverty is down, but crime is up.
My experience on the ground validates all that. If you're street-wise, you can keep from getting in trouble, even in Petare, El Centro, and Ciudad Buhonero (all places I visited with some regularity). However, trouble is certainly out there, and gun fights are not uncommon. One problem is drug sales, one problem is the out-of-control police forces, sometimes as many as 5, operating in the same area.
My friends proudly told me how they brought in the former police chief of NY to fix the problem, adn even he couldn't get an inch of headway. The NYT suggests that Chavez disregards crime, and they're partially right. They're wrong to suggest its his fault, but I agree that a leader with his status could affect an immediate change if he so chose. Opposition groups claim the state of fear keeps voters pulling for Chavez.
Whatever the reason, I hope this next term sees a reversal in the crime trend in Venezuela, for the health and safety of Venezuelans.
Comments