Kidnappings in Venezuela.

Williams, Ed

KIDNAPPINGS IN VENEZUELA

By Vanessa Neumann, Foreign Policy Research Institute

http://www.fpri.org/enotes/2011/201111.neumann.venezuela.html

Reviewed by Ed Williams, Secretary, American Diplomacy

The November 9th kidnapping and subsequent very speedy rescue of Wilson Ramos, a Venezuelan native and a U.S. major league baseball player, brought international attention to the high Venezuelan crime rate. The Venezuelan government, because of this attention, mounted an unusually massive operation, which liberated Ramos in two days.

Kidnappings have increased dramatically (23 times) during the 13-year rule of Hugo Chavez, and this includes many kidnappings of major league baseball players and their families. Baseball is Venezuela's favorite sport, and many players for U.S. teams are recruited from there.

Other violent crimes are also at a very high level in Venezuela. Its murder rate makes it the most violent country in the hemisphere. The annual global average is 9 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, but Venezuela's figure is 47 and rising.

A Human Rights organization argues that this is the result of police corruption and a weak judiciary. In addition, the Chavez regime actively supports various terrorist organizations operating in Venezuela, including Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, al Qaeda, and the Colombian gang, FARC.

In 2010, Caracas became the deadliest capital in the world. Venezuelans now consider crime, not poverty, the biggest problem in their country. This may be the Achilles heel of the Chavez regime, and the problem is likely to last well into the future, with or without Chavez.