Reply #73: Thanks for the information.

[Bridget Burke]

The NYT story is indeed troubling. Crime is hurting Venezuela's economic boom. However, the writer does not blame it on Chavez.

The Washington Post also speaks of crime--although murders peaked in 2003. One man quoted indicates the police don't help the poor. But most of those interviewed are definitely upper class. And Hmm--interesting:

The frustration among crime-weary Venezuelans recently has become a political issue, erupting into several large street protests demanding that Hugo Chavez's government do something to stem the violence. Chavez's opponents are trying to make crime a central theme of the December presidential elections, demanding action from a president they say has neglected the issue since taking power in 1999....

Still, Chavez has remained popular among the general population -- most of whom live in poverty -- in part because few blame him directly for crime.

Of course, crime as an election issue did not work. Chavez was re-elected.

The "left wing Counterpunch" story also indicates worsening crime in Caracas. Here's how it ends:

Solving Caracas's social problems will surely prove to be one of the most vexing and daunting challenges for President Chavez in his second term. Gimnasios verticales and urban redesign at San Rafael are promising developments. The government will have to do its utmost to integrate other barrios into the urban fabric. Failure to do so will provide further ammunition to the opposition, which will charge that the Chavez government has failed to rein in crime and insecurity.

But the writer says the problem is not exactly new--just worsening. The article ends with a link to his book--which is mostly favorable to Chavez. Thanks!

This article from 2005 indicates the police are hostile to Chavez:

Since coming to power in 1998, the Chavez administration has faced numerous difficulties from the police force, which like most of Latin America's police forces is rife with corruption and links to organised crime. The Caracas metropolitan police force, which was under the control of an opposition mayor until late last year, has been repeatedly used to repress supporters of Chavez. During the 2002 coup against Chavez, the police viciously attacked the uprising that eventually restored Chavez to power. Dozens of Chavez supporters were killed. After a pro-Chavez mayor was elected in October 2004, the police force was restructured, but recent events show still it has a long way to go.

www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=8285

What has George Bush done about crime in DC? Does he control the police force?