HomeNewsBriefIn Venezuela, Crime Literally Doesn't Pay
BRIEF

In Venezuela, Crime Literally Doesn't Pay

CRIMINAL MIGRATION / 30 MAY 2019 BY VENEZUELA INVESTIGATIVE UNIT EN

The economic crisis in Venezuela has seen criminal gangs find ways to turn chaos into opportunity. But the situation has now become so severe that gangs are also facing leaner times, which has led to a notable drop in violence.

For example, hyperinflation has severely reduced the income of the "Crazy Boys," a gang operating in the notoriously dangerous Caracas neighborhood of Petare, their leader explained to AP in an interview.

Known as "El Negrito," he told the agency that firing a gun in Venezuela had become a luxury. The bullets are sold in US dollars and robberies have become unprofitable, due to a shortage of cash and people no longer carrying valuables with them.

"If you empty your clip, you're shooting off $15 (...) You lose your pistol or the police take it and you’re throwing away $800," said the criminal who was identified only by his alias and photographed with a hood covering his face.

SEE ALSO: Failed Venezuela Uprising Benefits Armed and Criminal Groups 

El Negrito told the AP that his gang commits approximately five kidnappings a year, a figure which is considerably down than in previous years. Like many of his associates, he has considered abandoning crime in Venezuela and emigrating. He stated that "some people have quit the world of crime and sought more honest work abroad, fearing stiff penalties in other countries where laws are more enforced."

Another member of the Crazy Boys added finding ammunition on the black market is not a problem. Paying for it, in a country where the average person earns $6.5 a month, is the challenge.

InSight Crime Analysis

Tf crime in Venezuela has led to a reduction in homicides, armed robberies and kidnappings, since criminals do not have enough bullets and firearms to carry these out. However, this rising tide has not sunk all boats. Certain organized crime groups have emerged strengthened from this shift.

SEE ALSO: Are Caracas' Murders Really Falling?

The director of the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence (Observatorio Venezolano de la Violencia - OVV), Roberto Briceño León, confirmed to InSight Crime that the economic crisis had had an impact on crime reduction.

"Bullets are no longer being wasted as they were in previous years.  There has been a reduction in several crimes. We have noticed since 2018 that criminal groups, especially those in poorer neighborhoods, can no longer recover their investments in weapons and ammunition through criminal activities. Costs have increased and their crimes are becoming less profitable. A local gang member might previously have stolen a smartphone but he now steals food as he is in survival mode," explained Briceño León.

However, this evolution in areas of the country with higher crime rates, such as Caracas or the state of Miranda, has seen criminal groups migrate to regions where they can profit from other economies, such as drug trafficking and illegal mining.

"The neighborhood gangs that had to make money from their criminal activities to avoid losses have seen their power drop. But the more powerful organized crime gangs have more men and more weapons and have remained strong," concluded the OVV director.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

ELITES AND CRIME / 4 OCT 2022

A high-profile prisoner swap raises hopes of improving US-Venezuela relations and abilities to tackle organized crime.

ELITES AND CRIME / 11 NOV 2022

The Venezuelan government has placed and rogue mining gangs in its crosshairs, as the military is deployed in Bolívar.

COLOMBIA / 21 OCT 2022

The re-opening of the Colombia-Venezuela border was a momentous occasion. But did it come too early?…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

All Eyes on Ecuador

2 JUN 2023

Our coverage of organized crime in Ecuador continues to be a valuable resource for international and local news outlets. Internationally, Reuters cited our 2022 Homicide Round-Up,…

WORK WITH US

Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.