Homicide is the first cause of death in Venezuela

• Without further ado: homicides in Venezuela jumped 128% for the period 1998-2005.

• Violent deaths for unknown reasons in Venezuela increased 74% for the period 1998-2005.

• Homicides caused by firearms in Venezuela augmented 36% for the period 1998-2005.

• Kidnaps have increased 426% in Venezuela for the period 1998-2005.

• Deaths by shootings have risen 253% in Venezuela for the period 1998-2005.

• 44 homicides take place every day in Venezuela, that is 1 every half an hour.

• 32.932 deaths for unknown reasons have been registered in Venezuela since 1998. These deaths do not make part of the total of homicides for the period.

• Venezuela overtook Colombia in homicide numbers.

• The number of homicides in Venezuela is greater than the number of casualties in some modern armed conflicts.

• Since 1986 154.895 homicides have occured in Venezuela.

• 8.976 extrajudicial killings have been registered in Venezuela since 1999.

• 86.7% of homicides in Venezuela were caused by firearms, a variation of 36% since 1998.

• Homicide is the first cause of death in Venezuela for both genders in the age group 15-29.

• in 2004 only 7% of those involved in homicides have been sentenced.

• Figures of deaths due to "resisting authority" in Venezuela have increased 254% (national level) and 791% in Caracas for the period 1999-2004. The civilian/police ratio of deaths is 39:1 in Venezuela; 10:1 in Brazil the international standard being 5:1.

• Only 1.4% of police officers involved in extrajudicial killings have been sentenced in Venezuela during the period 2000-2005.

• The homicide rate in Venezuelan prisons is 40 times higher than that of the country and 36 times higher than that of Brazil's, Argentina's, Mexico's and Colombia's prisons combined.

• Caracas' homicide rates are the second in the South American continent.

• The Chavez regime military expenditure is 80 times higher than its expenditure on the Ministry of Interior and Justice, which is in charge of procurement for Venezuelan police forces.

• Venezuela's per capita expenditure in military acquisitions is larger than that of Brazil and Colombia.

Sources: CIPCC, PROVEA, MSDS.

Original PDF in Spanish here.