A total of 155,788 murders in Venezuela since 1999

[ChangoLoa]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Rhiannon12866 (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: El Universal

Since 1999, the homicide rate has trebled. That very year, when President Hugo Chávez just took office at Miraflores; the Government gave the National Guard a mission concerning a succession of at least 20 security plans. In the interim, 155,788 murders have taken place.

Those officials from the National Guard taking on patrolling and police tasks is one of the aspects that Director of NGO Cofavic, Liliana Ortega finds inappropriate when it comes to making a balance over the Government's performance with regard to security. "The control for public order may not be in the hands of military officers," she claims. "This an international standart still not applied in Venezuela."

In 1999, 5,968 homicides were recorded and. 13 years later, 2011 ended at 19,336 murders. According to the numbers confirmed by NGO Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, murders have risen tremendously by 223% under the current government.

Read more: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/120609/a-total-of-155788-murders-in-venezuela-since-1999

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. And Venezuela doesn't even have the highest murder rate in the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

It's fourth, behind El Salvador, Honduras, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

[FarCenter]

2. It is quite common for public order to be kept by the military

The distinction between internal and external security is somewhat artificial.

[apocalypsehow]

4. In dictatorships, sure. In Democracies, there tends to be a bright line between law enforcement and

the military for reasons that are obvious to anyone who has so much as sat through and paid halfway attention in a junior high civics class.

Of course, Venezuela is a dictatorship in everything but name, so this article does not surprise.

[JDPriestly]

8. Yes. The two tend to be separate and distinct.

In fact, one of the troubling trends in the US (in my opinion) is the militarization of our local police forces. That became quite evident in the Occupy rousts.

[geek tragedy]

5. Yes, in places like Honduras and Syria. nt

[apocalypsehow]

3. What? Trouble in Saint Hugo's paradise? Say it ain't so....

(wait for it...wait for it..."let's talk about the U.S. murder rate instead!!!11", i.e., logical fallacy tu quoque from the Chavez Fan Club).

[dipsydoodle]

6. How interesting

[JDPriestly]

7. What is the rate of increase in other Latin American countries?

I don't think it is that high, but I think the murder rate has increased in some other countries too -- like Mexico.

Has the rate maybe decreased in Colombia?

How about Costa Rica? It must have a low rate.

Paraguay? Brazil? Chile? Peru? Bolivia? Other countries?

[bitchkitty]

9. Latest Breaking News?

This may have been published in the last 12 hours, but it's not latest breaking news. It's a poorly translated opinion piece from a right wing rag. Nice try.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Locking, sorry, this isn't breaking news.

Please repost in GD or the Latin America group. Thanks!