Caracas: between life and death. Venezuelan Caracas is the most dangerous city in the world. Is Caracas a dangerous city?

The Mexican non-governmental organization Citizens’ Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice this year published a ranking of the most dangerous cities in the world for 2015. This rating includes cities with a population of more than 300 thousand people. The main evaluation criterion is the number of murders committed.

The capital and largest city of Venezuela in 2015 received a rating of 119.87 murders per 100 thousand inhabitants. Although the exact number of victims is controversial, it is certain that the increase in violence on the streets is associated with the difficult social, economic and political situation of the country.

Caracas has always been close to first place in recent years. Since 2008, it has consistently been in the TOP 10. In 2012, it took 3rd place with an indicator of 118.89 murders per 100 thousand inhabitants. In 2013 and 2014 was in second place with rates of 134.36 and 115.98 murders per 100 thousand people, respectively.

Politicized crime

Crime rates in Venezuela increased in the 1990s due to several factors.

According to New York University professor Alejandro Velasco, these include the complete inaction of a judicial system that allows everything, virtual impunity for certain powerful criminal groups and, as a result, “a distortion of the law that works selectively.

Velasco mentions the influence on the development of crime in Venezuela from the protracted social conflict in Colombia and the related activity of drug cartels.

“When the drug war in Colombia began to subside, some groups moved to Venezuela, where they were attracted by political conflicts and an atmosphere of impunity. Criminal elements received excellent conditions here both in terms of flourishing corruption in the country’s armed forces and in a social context, because in Venezuela it is easy gain access to weapons and other dangerous things,” Velasco says.

He describes Hugo Chavez's government's fight against crime between 1999 and 2013 as "schizophrenic." Emphasizes that the problem is related to political factors, due to which the rule of law in the country did not function as it should. This allowed certain people to continue to commit crimes.

The Venezuelan government hid official crime statistics for several years. The real crime rate in the country is highly questionable.

“When it comes to crime statistics in Venezuela, like almost everything here, it is a very politicized issue,” Velasco said.

President Maduro blames Colombia and Colombians in Venezuela for the current crisis. He cites massive smuggling and violence from Colombian criminal gangs as the reasons for economic instability. Over the past years, the Venezuelan government has closed its borders with Colombia, used military force in its regions and deported thousands of Colombians, some of whom were refugees living in Venezuela illegally.

Crime against the poor

One of the most reliable estimates of homicide rates in Venezuela comes from the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, which measures crime rates using projections based on past trends. Even the organization itself admits that it has no reliable data since the government stopped publishing statistics.

The Citizens' Council measures crime rates based on the number of bodies registered at Caracas' main morgue, Bello Monte. Although the Citizens' Council admits that its methodology does not provide completely accurate results, this method of measurement covers approximately 80% of deaths due to homicide.

Velasco notes that the body count at the morgue raises questions. “In my opinion, the number of murders remains a very confusing figure... Name this number or that number, there will still be uncertainty that does not allow us to make an official statement.” Although there is controversy over the number of crimes, no one denies the fact that crime is rampant.

“I think we can confidently say that Caracas, regardless of the number of crimes, ratings and all other factors, belongs to the most dangerous cities in the world,” Velasco is convinced.
According to the Citizens Council, the Metropolitan area accounted for 3,946 murders in 2015, with a total of 3.3 million people living in Caracas.

Velasco notes that "crimes most often target the poorest residents of the city. The problem is that in Caracas, as in many other cities in Latin America, poverty and wealth exist together. And, of course, violence primarily affects young people ".

Scarcity breeds crime

Today the world is talking about the crisis of the Venezuelan economy. Inflation and shortages make some goods unaffordable for consumers. When the necessary goods appear, they are sold at inflated prices in an unprecedented rush.

“Most people have to hit the streets early in the morning or late at night to buy scarce goods,” says Velasco. “They stand in line for hours, which makes them a target for criminals, especially given the significant amounts of cash in their pockets.”

Queues became such a big problem that people started making money by standing in them for others.
"It's boring but a pretty good way to make a living," says 23-year-old Luis. Like other shoppers around him, due to inflation and ever-increasing prices, he is forced to carry large amounts of cash.

The combination of economic distress and impunity affects the daily lives of Caracas residents in different ways.

“It completely changes behavior patterns,” Velasco said. He mentions the local dance changa tuqui, popular among residents of poor areas of Caracas like Petare.

"This has become an indication of the social status of people. Therefore, they are forced to hold dance parties during the day, because in the evening the atmosphere becomes dangerous, especially in poor areas. All such entertainment takes place in the middle of the day. Thus, this changes the social parameters for teenagers, who are the main a target for criminals," Velasco said.

Murder is common

Almost everyone in Caracas has felt the effects of violence in the city, with specific areas bearing the brunt.

A 2014 UNICEF report found that homicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers in Venezuela. For the age category from 10 to 19 years, the mortality rate is 39 people per 100 thousand inhabitants. For men of this age, this figure was 74 people, while for women - 3 people.

The Citizens' Council only counts homicides, but criminal activity in Caracas is not limited to this area, which in turn affects the number of deaths.

“Note that, for example, some burglaries end in murder,” says Velasco. “The criminals do not initially plan to kill, but then the theft for one reason or another ends in this outcome.”
The increase in the number of apartment robberies is due to the fact that people are trying to hide in their homes, so criminals have to come up with new ways to operate.

Gangsters control poor areas, where you can freely buy weapons. The judicial system and police often turn a blind eye to what is happening, so there is a lack of justice and a sense of impunity in Caracas.
In December 2011, political scientist Dorothy Kronick, who lives in Venezuela, wrote: “Thousands die as a result of gang violence. Petty thieves often commit murder.”

Homicides due to street crimes are common. Because of this, the non-governmental organization Venezuelan Crime Observatory even launched a social campaign with the slogan “Value life.”
Mariana Caprile, who led the Value Life initiative, told Kronick she wanted to "convince young people not to kill for no reason. If you're robbing a store, there's no point in killing the driver."

The rich are separating themselves

The behavior of wealthy residents of Caracas is also changing. “People don’t walk on the streets as much as they used to,” Velasco said. “But if wealthy residents want to walk at night, they will take security guards with them, which only increases the number of weapons on the streets.”

The hiring of personal security guards, coupled with distrust of law enforcement and the judicial system, has made government protection impossible for ordinary people. The Council on Hemispheric Affairs called the situation a "crime trap."

The danger has allowed private security firms to flourish. “It all started in 2003,” says one manager at the Caracas-based security firm Blindcorp. “And things have only gotten better for us since then.” The company's share of the specialized services market in 2012 was 30%.

Like the lower social classes, the wealthy residents of Caracas have also changed their social and consumption habits.

“Venezuela is becoming one of the most problematic places for restaurateurs,” says a 21-year-old owner of an illegal cafe. High prices have made small restaurants a favorite among the Venezuelan elite.

But chefs and restaurant owners complain that their business has become less profitable since the government began imposing limits on price increases despite crippling inflation. Under these conditions, bribes remain the only way to obtain the necessary permits.

"Instead of making dinner reservations, rich people hire personal chefs. They host house parties where they cook restaurant-quality food," Velasco explained. "It's not about the quality of service. It's just about wanting to experience the atmosphere of the restaurant, without leaving home. One of the reasons for this behavior is the shortage of products and their excessive cost. The second is the fear of going out.”

The Venezuelan government's response to the rise in crime is to increase the number of crimes.

After a failed attempt at police reform about a decade ago, the Venezuelan government has returned to an "iron fist" policy. A few months after Maduro was elected president in 2013, he ordered national police forces to fight crime.

And although the “iron fist” policy gained popularity, representatives of the armed forces on the streets openly violated the human rights of citizens. For example, in August 2013, the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal wrote that residents of the country were being terrorized by “well-armed but poorly trained soldiers” who blocked the road.

“When the army is called upon to ensure the safety of residents, it is practically governed by the laws of war,” explains Velasco. “The powers of the military are so unlimited that this leads to a significant increase in the death rate.”

Total personnel migration

The ineffective fight against crime in Caracas has created a kind of vicious circle of crime and impunity.

Insecurity and instability have affected Venezuelan youth. Due to the long-term crisis, many young people decided to migrate for labor.

"I couldn't raise my children there. Things were bad in Venezuela, and life there was only getting worse," said Veronica Leniz, 26, who moved from Venezuela to Miami after she became pregnant. "The difference between living here and living there is enormous. I I miss Venezuela, but I will never go back."

At the Caracas School of Chemistry, 63% of instructors earn less than the minimum wage. Dental students are forced to look for part-time jobs to buy cotton wool and gloves.

The country has begun an outflow of personnel from the energy sector, due to the fact that big problems have emerged in it after the fall in oil prices. In Venezuela, oil accounts for 95% of export revenues. “Venezuela is on the path to total collapse,” says sociologist Ivan de la Vega.

Criminal gangs, which can operate with relative impunity, are also capable of targeting police officers. As of October 2015, 112 police officers had died on the streets of Caracas in one year. Many of them died after being attacked to steal their weapons.

Fear has had such an effect on the police that they only do the bare minimum of their job in terms of fighting crime.

The Hemispheric Affairs Council noted in a 2012 report: "When crimes are committed, poorly armed law enforcement officials struggle to respond, leading to more confrontations. At times, the government loses control and criminals are not held accountable for their actions." Attempts to combat crime in Caracas and reform a weakened law and order system have failed due to the political crisis.

According to Velasco, one of the main reasons why Caracas has become such a crime-ridden city is administrative disorder.

He notes: “In addition to the economic crisis, in addition to the crisis of impunity, in addition to the growing level of social inequality and poverty, there is also a crisis of administration. In some cities, there are five different mayors, a chief mayor and the most important mayor. They all represent different political interests, and each They are controlled by their own police. This raises questions about the legality and a host of other problems."

The government's inaction on crime and violence has hurt it politically, especially among groups that traditionally supported Chavez's Socialist Party.

The government's repressive response to crime, particularly in Caracas, also goes beyond traditional methods of government. “In 2015, it became clear that armed officers, called upon to fight crime, began to terrorize ordinary citizens. But it was these people who were the stronghold of the Chavez regime,” says Velasco. “It is not surprising that many Venezuelans voted against Chavismo in the last elections. And this is not only due to a growing number of problems."

Ordinary Venezuelans view the situation this way: "When Chavez was alive, he did not use the armed forces to attack us. Now the people who are supposed to protect and fight criminals are actually attacking us."

In the December parliamentary elections, many former government supporters voted against him. The opposition gained a majority in the National Assembly of Venezuela.

Having gained power, the opposition challenged the government and began to fight for political influence. This fight could once again overshadow needed reform of the justice system. “Everyone is completely absorbed in the big political struggle,” sums up Velasco.

The Olympics are starting in Brazil, which means it’s worth reminding: a traveler in South America needs to be on the alert. Crime in both Venezuelan Caracas and Brazilian Rio de Janeiro is an order of magnitude higher than in Russian cities.

ALEXANDER ZOTIN, Caracas - Bogota - Moscow

"Take care of your camera!"

The capital of Venezuela, Caracas, is the most unsafe city in the world. According to the Mexican non-governmental organization CCSPJP, Caracas finished 2015 with 120 murders per 100 thousand people, first place in the ranking of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Almost every local resident, be it a simple passer-by, a trader-economist, or even a strange senior in an excellent suit and tie with a thick gold chain over his outfit, who we met at night at the exit of the restaurant, constantly recommended our photographer Peter Kassin to be very careful with his camera. This refrain even got a little boring, and in the end we couldn’t evaluate the advice - no one attempted to use the camera during the entire visit (10 days).

When reality refutes such fears, one can come to the conclusion that security is not so bad. Especially considering that we visited three barrios in Caracas with a rather bad reputation (prosperous city dwellers almost never visit such places).

However, most likely, the impression is false. The situation is similar to the study of driver behavior described by American sociologist Tom Vanderbilt in the book "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)." The conclusions are: 90% of drivers consider themselves better than 90% of other drivers on the road. At the same time, purely statistically, driving is quite dangerous (for an American who drives for 50 years, the chance of dying in a car accident is one in a hundred). But there is no feeling of danger. The problem is that the driver cannot assess the level of risk and the number of errors - exactly until the moment of the accident.

It’s the same with crime in Caracas: you can be completely confident in your safety until the moment of truth (when you are robbed, kidnapped or killed). But it’s hard for a visitor to understand this. Even if the probability of being killed or robbed in Caracas is 20, and in the barrio 200 times higher than in Moscow, the chances of getting into trouble for a person making a short visit to the city are still extremely low.

Although a foreigner is sometimes more vulnerable than the locals. Firstly, because he does not know what danger looks like with local color. Secondly, because it stands out from the crowd. Thirdly, he does not know well how to protect himself from danger, which means that as a victim he is more attractive than those who grew up in this environment.

Traces of atrocities

Brazilian police trained to prevent terrorist attacks and deal with their consequences before the Olympics

Photo: Roosevelt Cassio/File Photo, Reuters

Therefore, your own experience here will not be very representative. We have to rely on indirect evidence. And there are plenty of them.

Multi-storey buildings in poor areas have barred windows, but not like in Russia - on the ground floor, but in general on all floors, from the first to the last. This is not the case in wealthy areas, but two- to three-meter fences with live wire are common. Almost all cars in Caracas have tinted windows. Without them, it’s dangerous (in the Colombian capital Bogota, where embassy employees still travel to the city from the airport in armored jeeps, there are much fewer tinted cars). On the streets, everyone is afraid of malandros bandits on motorcycles - they are mobile, armed and can point a gun at those sitting in the next car for the purpose of robbery. Sometimes malandros kill ordinary motorcyclists in order to take possession of the motorcycle. It is risky to get stuck in a traffic jam at night in a “bad” area.

The police exist solely for themselves. Although they may start to investigate something if you pay. The plural is no coincidence - there are many different police forces. The Caracas metro police have a particularly bad reputation - they say they themselves participate in robberies.

There are practically no expensive cars on the roads - it’s dangerous. A rare exception are luxury cars without license plates. Drivers of such cars cannot be denied some aesthetics. For example, on a Jaguar, a jaguar is drawn on the plate for the number plate. Sometimes such a car is accompanied by a motorcade - a cavalcade of armed motorcyclists. But the passengers of such cars are special gentlemen. These are either big bandits, or influential people in power (enchufados, “thieves”), or army generals. Domestic crime rarely concerns them; they themselves can attack anyone.

Life in the barrio

Residents of Caracas, Rio de Janeiro and many other cities in South America do not risk wearing expensive jewelry, but the business of selling costume jewelry is thriving

The geography of crime is intricate. The historical center of the city is ghettoized, however, this is typical for almost all Latin American cities. The business center is more or less safe, but it also has its problems. For example, the seizure of certain buildings by squatters. Thus, the unfinished skyscraper of the financial center Confinances (45 floors, 190 m), better known as Torre David, was occupied by squatters in 2007. In 2011, the number of residents of the skyscraper reached 5 thousand (now they have already been evicted to social housing).

But the main problems lie elsewhere. Caracas, with its population of five million, is divided into the city itself and barrios - slums on the mountain slopes around. Although there are plenty of such places in the city itself, there is no clear division between the city and the barrio. The term "barrio" has different meanings in different Spanish-speaking countries. In Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, in Spain itself, it is just a neighborhood, an area, without any negative connotation (in Colombia, for example, there are very luxurious barrios). In Venezuela and, for example, in the Dominican Republic, this is precisely a slum, disadvantaged area with one- or two-story buildings. In a typical barrio there is no normal sewage system, normal electricity supply, there are no roads (instead they are more like passages), residents do not have property rights to the self-construction.

Historically, barrios are settlements of former peasants (campesinos) who came to the cities for a better life. In the case of Venezuela, the barrios owe their large numbers to the fact that, after the introduction of low food prices from 1939 to this day, agriculture in the country remains economically unprofitable. Former campesinos simply have no choice but to move closer to the city, hoping either for unskilled work, or for handouts from the state, or for robbery and drug trafficking. In addition to Venezuelans, the barrio's residents include many migrant workers and their descendants from Colombia, Ecuador and other countries who came to Venezuela during the oil boom of the 1970s.

Prosperous areas sometimes coexist with barrios without any transitions. For example, one of the wealthiest areas of Caracas, the Country Club, with its golf courses, lives side by side with the Chapellin barrio. Mini-barrios often appear near wealthy neighborhoods where servants live. They are generally safe. But there are also huge barrio cities. About a million people live in the largest barrio of Caracas, Petare; it is a whole shadow city with its own economy. There are also smaller ones - 23 de Enero, for example (110 thousand inhabitants). Such barrios even have a historical center, central squares - plazas, there are streets and even addresses of some houses. However, further on the streets still turn into mountain paths (almost all barrios are on mountain slopes, hence the motorcycle as the main means of transportation). The power of the state here is limited - the police only poke around for the sake of some high-profile special operations.

A normal driver will not take you to the barrio - it is unsafe. More often than not, he was never there - there was no need to. If you still want to go, you need to negotiate with special people - fixers or guides (most often they are from the barrio themselves). Our guides were Rachel Beaufroyd (an English volunteer who has lived in the Petare barrio for five years) and Rafael (a Colombian from the Manicomio barrio).

At 23 de Enero, Rachel and Rafael do not feel very confident - this is not their barrio. But the place is very interesting. Hugo Chavez considered himself a resident and voted in the corresponding polling station. Now the pompous mausoleum of Chavez is adjacent to social high-rise buildings and barracks, dotted with graffiti of the leader of the Colombian FARC Raul Reyes, radical supporter of Chavez Lina Ron and the slogan Con Chavez todo, sin Chavez plomo ("With Chavez - everything, without Chavez - a bullet"). Members of the colectivos (armed groups of government supporters, such as the far-left Tupamaro) also live here.

There are also bandits (there is no clear line between armed colectivos and bandits). At 23 de Enero we turned onto one of the alley streets and walked briskly up the hill. Nobody stopped us, the residents simply watched us. Three years ago I was already in this barrio, and then the external effect was stronger - I was accompanied by people with walkie-talkies and machine guns. Then I met there a colorful Arab with a fancy tattoo on his arm - he, smiling, allowed himself to be photographed. The text of the tattoo described the exploits in the war with the Israelis. Radicals from all over the world find refuge in Venezuela.

Rachel and Rafael fell behind us a little, then caught up and told us to leave. And similar places can be seen in another place - where they themselves live, for example in Manicomio. I asked for an explanation. “The barrio is generally safe,” Rachel answered, “but inside the barrio there can be some bad areas and streets. Often the residents themselves do not know who the bandits are, they are actually members of secret societies.”

The atmosphere of the barrio confirms these words - the windows of the unauthorized construction here are also barred, everyone is afraid of everyone, even their neighbors. A shop selling local ice cream is under a powerful “visor”. Locals often rob each other, showdowns, and even real wars occur.

The reason for the showdown can be either purely criminal (the main topic is drug trafficking) or domestic: someone erected a squatter settlement under the nose of another, seized land, dumped garbage on someone else’s territory (the housing issue has spoiled not only Muscovites). A typical situation occurs when heavy rains wash away buildings. Their residents are forced to resettle somewhere, often on the plots of more fortunate neighbors. Conflicts break out every now and then, there are casualties, after which the confrontation can develop into a formal vendetta, which in the barrio is called la culebra. It can go on for years.

However, this is a separate, rather closed world; strangers here inspire suspicion. Even the residents of the barrio often have their own religion. “Do you see the man in white?” says Rachel. “He’s a santero, a priest of a local religion that combines Catholicism and African cults. They don’t have churches, rituals take place at home.” Stealth is here too. Another cult is the veneration of Maria Lionsa (the goddess of nature, as an object of faith arising from the image of the Virgin Mary), even more secret and associated with malandros.

But there are not so many of the latter. A barrio with a hundred thousand or a million inhabitants cannot consist only of bandits. The vast majority of people live a peaceful life - trade, study, dance tambor in the local “house of culture”. The bandit occupies the niche of a social predator, and there must be few predators, otherwise there will not be enough food supply.

The bandits under the Chavistas have a problem with the “food supply” - too much competition from the state. For example, the city has stopped robbing banks for three years now (although the murder rate is constantly rising). Why? Pointless. The largest local banknote is 100 bolivars, equal to 10 cents or 6 rubles. So it is physically impossible to take away more than a few thousand dollars in local currency (circulation of dollars is prohibited) (and the story with the banknotes itself is sophisticated corruption, also a robbery, but on the part of the state, see the material “Money and the aversion to it in Caracas”).

Caracas is a dangerous road, you are always on guard, ready for the unexpected. And even if you play it safe and exaggerate the danger (which seems very likely), this is partly rational, because the cost of a mistake can be too high. Most people do not carry anything valuable with them, and the middle and upper classes have long switched to electronic payments. Electric wire for the rich, “roses” made of broken bottles in cement for the poor. The culture of danger gives rise to methods of adaptation to it.

Crime Olympics

But in addition to adaptation, successful struggle is also possible. For example, cities such as Juarez in Mexico and Medellin in Colombia have dropped out of the CCSPJP ranking of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world in recent years. The murder rate in Medellin in the 1990s exceeded 300 people per 100 thousand population per year, now it is a more or less safe city. The same can be said about the Colombian capital Bogota - the historical city center is simply overrun with police.

And about the capital of the 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. On the CCSPJP list of the world's 50 most dangerous cities, 21 are from Brazil, but Rio is considered relatively safe. At the same time, it would be reckless to talk about the complete safety of tourists at the Brazilian Olympics.

“Brazilian gangsters rarely kill tourists, but they are happy to rob,” notes traveler Bronislaw Dolgopyat, who lived in favelas (the Brazilian equivalent of a barrio) for several years. In general, in Rio, judging by his words, the situation with slums is better than in Caracas. The fact is that Rio is a city of global importance, therefore, the problem of favelas has become international.

The FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games brought Brazil to the attention of the whole world. In 2008, a program of favela pacification (pacification) was launched. At the very least, at the moment 136 out of 900 favelas have been pasified, the crime rate in them has decreased by 60%.

“Private entrepreneurs and sponsors came, new shops, bars and hostels opened, in some favelas (Santa Marta, Vidigal, Cantagalo, Babilonia) it became so calm that tourists began to visit them,” says Dolgopyat. “The favelas in the south of Rio were lucky, near famous beaches. These favelas are visited by celebrities and politicians - Sting, Bill Clinton, Madonna, Prince William, Barack Obama, Edward Norton, Vin Diesel, Sylvester Stallone, Snoop Doggy Dog, Rihanna, Katy Perry. David Beckham bought a house in the Vidigal favela. and opened a football school for local children. But the favelas on the periphery, in the suburb of Baixada Fluminense, are not lucky. Their lot is poverty and oblivion.”

However, the gradual pacification of favelas in Rio gives a chance that even the most disadvantaged of them will become more comfortable for life over time. Although, most likely, not soon.

During the short period of the Olympics, the safety of tourists is more pressing for the authorities. From July 24, for three months in advance, the Rio authorities will strengthen the city police with army units (38 thousand soldiers). Order will also be monitored by a satellite specially purchased in Israel, programmed to identify suspicious objects and persons. However, as CCSPJP analysts note, “the authorities have traditionally preferred a quantitative approach to a qualitative one,” so no one is immune from surprises at the Olympics.

Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption The Venezuelan government has acknowledged a homicide problem, although official statistics are much lower.

2011 was a record year for Venezuela in terms of the number of murders committed, local human rights activists say.

According to their data, 19,336 murders were committed in the past year, that is, on average, 53 people lost their lives every day.

This is the highest figure among other countries in South America, say human rights activists from the Venezuela Violence Observatory (OVV).

In Mexico, four times fewer people die violent deaths than in Venezuela, with a population of 29 million.

Crime is expected to be a major issue in the run-up to next year's presidential elections. The current head of state, Hugo Chavez, is planning to run for a new term.

According to human rights activists, based on a study involving several universities in Venezuela, the murder rate in the country in 2011 was 67 per 100 thousand people.

By comparison, neighboring Colombia and Mexico, countries with serious drug-related violence problems, have rates of 32 and 14 per 100,000 people, respectively.

The Venezuelan government has acknowledged the existence of a homicide problem, although the official statistics are much lower - 48 per 100 thousand population.

What are the causes of violence?

Human rights activists say violent crime has been on the rise in Venezuela since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999. Only 4,550 murders were recorded that year.

The general reasons for the increase are not specified, but, according to human rights activists, the problem is exacerbated by impunity, since in the vast majority of cases the killer avoids responsibility.

Another factor is the large number of privately owned guns.

Along with the murders, the number of robberies and kidnappings increased.

In November, President Hugo Chavez announced the creation of a new branch of the armed forces - the so-called People's Guard - to strengthen public security.

Thousands of military personnel and police officers patrol the streets of Caracas and other places where crime rates are high.

Several Latin American countries have higher homicide rates than the world as a whole, where it is 6.9 per 100,000 people.

According to UN data, the highest murder rate in 2010 was in Honduras - 82 per 100 thousand people.

One of Belarus' main strategic partners overseas is Venezuela. Our countries are united by both cooperation in the political sphere and active economic partnership. Some of our fellow countrymen, within the framework of established warm interstate relations, go to work in this Latin American power.

Egor, a 27-year-old native of Soligorsk, worked for a year in Venezuela as a supply specialist at the Belzarubezhstroy company and, having received leave, visited his hometown. Journalists from Electronic Soligorsk decided to find out what this mysterious country is like through the eyes of a person who has plunged directly into its everyday and social realities. After all, many people know almost nothing about this exotic state entity, except for the name of the legendary Comandante Hugo Chavez. Responding to our request, Egor visited the editorial office of Electronic Soligorsk and shared his impressions about the specifics of life in Venezuela.

Valencia, fiesta, Groundhog Day

- Egor, how did you even end up there?

Let's start with the fact that I was looking for a job with knowledge of Spanish. At one time he worked here in Belarus.

-Is your education related to the Spanish language?

Yes. I graduated from BSU, international relations, customs. All that remained was to find a job in Spanish. Worked in Minsk. But this is not very convenient for us due to the time difference, because I mainly worked with Latin America. So I decided to find a job there. I set myself a goal and found a job at the Belzarubezhstroy company, which was looking for people with knowledge of Spanish. I somehow didn’t believe that I would go somewhere until they gave me a passport with a visa and said: “That’s it. You’ll be flying out in a couple of weeks.”

- In what city were you based?

First I was near Caracas, literally 30 km - Guatire. And then they transferred to Valencia - 4-5 hours drive to Caracas.

- How different is Caracas from other cities? The capital is still...

Not particularly. It’s just that the whole country is poor and virtually everything is the same everywhere.

- What was your job?

I work in the construction industry. Our organization is often talked about in the news; we are building various facilities in Venezuela. For this, accordingly, materials are needed. This is already my part. That is, they need to be purchased in order to build something later. In general, I am engaged in supply.

- That is, office work?

How to say... Mostly I was at the construction site, visiting suppliers.

- What difficulties did you have in adapting at first?

Everything is completely different there. As for the weather, it is very hot. You can feel it immediately when you step off the plane. What was also unusual at first was the fact that it always gets dark at six o’clock in the evening. In any season. That is, you drive through the mountains and - bang! It's already dark. And dawn is also at six. It's like Groundhog Day: it's always hot, it always dawns and gets dark at the same time.

- A typical Venezuelan - what is he like?

Very positive people who live a carefree life. Nothing worries them: they don’t want money, they don’t want to work, nothing. They have a constant fiesta, a holiday. Something happens and it's a fiesta and they stop working. For example, it started to rain and they stopped working. Even if it happened at two o'clock in the afternoon.

- Did you ever have to force people to work?

You shouldn't force them, you need to offer them. Venezuelans are quite dangerous guys: they will threaten, they can shoot. During the briefing at the company, they explained to us that, in principle, Venezuelans are the descendants of pirates and Indians. Plus the Spanish conquerors. That's why it turned out to be such an explosive mixture. Another interesting thing about the people there is that at the same time they are quite gentle, or something. Now, if a strong handshake is somehow welcomed when we meet, then a Venezuelan man may be very offended by this and contact or work with him will no longer be possible. There you need to either press lightly or just pat on the shoulder, “Ola amigo!” In general they love to sing, drink and have fun.

- What is the most popular drink there?

- Did you have fun with the Venezuelans?

Why not? If the company is safe, if there is somewhere, then why not?

Motorsado, weapons, drugs

- Is the security issue really that acute there?

Here you need to understand that in Venezuela, 70-80 percent of people live very poorly. They live in barracks that they themselves built from who knows what. There's hardly any floor, for example. This is how favelas are in Brazil. Only in Venezuela it is called a barrio. When you enter Caracas, on one side there are normal houses, and on the other - all over the horizon, that's all you can see - all the slums. There is no water or electricity installed in them - they steal it: they somehow install wires there themselves. So in these settlements it is very dangerous. They constantly rob there, the residents have weapons, and we were not recommended to go there for our own safety. To organize safe housing for us, we were settled in good houses - villas or high-rise buildings - and these several villas, several high-rise buildings form the so-called urbanization. This is a kind of settlement with security, which is fenced, and a current is run through this fence. That is, within this urbanization it is as safe as possible. But there are no shops or anything like that. Accordingly, you need to go out, but right behind the fence is no longer safe. Right next to the security point - literally two meters away - a motorcyclist - a motorisado - can drive up, take out a pistol and demand that you give up everything you have.

We had such a case too. We go to work by bus, and it is recommended to wait for it inside the location. And people came out, stood and talked. Motorcyclists drove up to them, pulled out a gun and in 2 minutes took away all the laptops, all the phones - they took everything and calmly left.

I’ll tell you another similar episode. People went to the sea. And the bus, accordingly, cannot drive directly to the beach, and you have to walk some distance. Our guys walked with backpacks and some other things and met Venezuelans. Well, Venezuelans are like Venezuelans. And they, apparently, paid attention to the foreigners, just waited and, when they were already returning from the beach, they simply took out their pistols and - “Give them back.”

And recently there was a very daring robbery. When they just burst into the urbanization and ran straight into the house. Naturally, with pistols. But they didn’t shoot, they usually hit. They also took all the laptops, cameras, money.

- And probably even children might have weapons there?

I think it might. Of course, we were forbidden to have weapons, but in general this was not a problem. Even the Venezuelans offered me something.

- And how much does a pistol cost there?

The fact is that it is impossible to say how much and what it costs - prices change there every day. Literally. There are no price tags in the stores. You will only find out the price at the checkout. This is because Venezuela has crazy inflation. Even their dollar exchange rate is double: the official one, in my opinion, is 6.5 bolivars, and the unofficial one is 65. And it grows there literally every day.

- It turns out that Venezuelans do not have much respect for foreigners. Or is it only those who make a living?

Who trades? And ordinary Venezuelans are “for” communication, they really like that we are white. They even take pictures. They say: “Like from American films.” And the bandits, they are called malandros, they are very interested in foreigners. We were even instructed that we must have some money with us, so that in case of emergency we would have something to give. Because if you say that there is nothing, they won’t believe it - they’ll shoot right away. Therefore, you need to carry money with you in case of robbery, at least 20 dollars - this is approximately enough for one dose of drugs.

- Latin American countries are known for their large drug trafficking. How is this in Venezuela?

- There are a lot of drugs there. Naturally, we are forbidden to use it, but there were visitors from post-Soviet countries who were caught doing it. But in such cases, the Venezuelans themselves, in order not to make a fuss, turn to our security service: they say, talk to your own people. Therefore, our security department checks and controls us. In general, everything is very open there. I have a Venezuelan under my command, with whom I usually go somewhere. So, during the journey, right on the street, he shows: this one sells weapons, this one sells drugs.

- How do the police look at all this?

- She is very corrupt. They do not want and will not look for anything or anyone. We had a case where an Internet antenna was stolen. The police arrived, looked and said: “We won’t look for anything. If you want, look for it yourself.” They took out machine guns, fired in the direction of the jungle - everyone, they say, did everything they could. Maybe it’s not customary for them to pay attention to such little things. If a couple of people were kidnapped there, they would do something. It happened once: a taxi car was stolen along with its passengers, then the taxi driver and passengers were found killed - the car was not found.

- It turns out that it was all for the sake of the car?

Well it turns out, yes..

Breast implants, gentle men, celibacy

- Latin American girls are probably very beautiful?

The ideal of female beauty for Venezuelans is considered to be a plump woman with a “guitar” figure. For Latin women on their 16th birthday, surgery to install implants in the breasts and hips is considered the best gift. For example, thin girls who do not have the money to undergo such an operation can have very strong complexes about their appearance. In general, I wouldn't say that the women there are very beautiful. It’s like watching a Hollywood movie - all the girls there are beautiful, but you come to America - there are no such people on the streets. It’s the same in Venezuela - they are not as nice as we think. Mostly full, with curves. Well, Venezuelans like those.

- In Latin American countries, prostitution in various forms is widespread. What about this in Venezuela?

No one hesitates to take advantage of paid love. There are a lot of “gay” transvestites on the streets, who are easy to distinguish by their appearance. Somehow, in my opinion, men become too gentle. But if you want, there are quite a lot of specific places where you can easily find a girl for the night. Another question is that there is no sanitary service as such, so anyone who decides to use such services acts entirely at their own peril and risk.

- Are the prices for love services known?

As with everything in Venezuela, prices for such services change every day. As far as I know, it's 50-60 dollars per hour.

- Do mainly local women or some visitors earn money this way?

Yes, locals. Moreover, most of them already have children. By the way, Venezuelans do not marry or create families. They just don't need it. They either live together or they don't. By the age of 20, many women have already given birth to two children. When the mother is 30 years old, then these children are already old enough, and the woman can continue to walk and relax. And dad was still not there. Or dad is a local malandro who goes around shooting, earning money this way.

- You mentioned a large number of homosexuals on the streets. Are there really many of them?

Yes, they are not shy, they are easily recognizable in appearance. Venezuelans are among those who strive to earn more, although there are not so many of them. They rest less often and have fiestas less often. And when they need to somehow relax, they often find this option for pleasure optimal. By the way, the services of transvestites and homosexuals are quite expensive compared to ordinary prostitutes. Therefore, only wealthy people can use them. There are “gays” among ordinary poor people, working, for example, in hairdressing salons. They are not dangerous, not aggressive, friendly, but, nevertheless, they are “blue”...

- How does society feel about this?

They don't care at all. No one has any complaints against such people. At first I was disdainful, but then I got my hair cut by such hairdressers.

15 cent gas, poisonous snakes, dentists without tools

- Is there at least some positive there?

Certainly. The country is very colorful. There is both negative and positive. The main negative is the security situation, the economic situation, when it is impossible to predict what will happen tomorrow.

- This country has enormous oil reserves and cheap gasoline....

One tank of gasoline, 50-60 liters, can be filled at the unofficial market rate for 10-15 cents. By the way, there are no exchangers at all, and it is generally impossible to buy currency at the official rate. Therefore, buying and selling can be done with the local population, but at 10 times more expensive. By the way, the cars that drive there were very surprising at first. They can drive there without windows, without headlights, with wheels of different diameters and almost hold the doors with their hands as they go.

- So still about positive impressions...

One of the main positive aspects of Venezuela is its very beautiful nature. We went to the sea every week to ride on boats. On New Year's Day we went to the Andes, climbed mountains, rode horses, and looked at mountain lakes. On our professional holiday we went rafting - we rode boats on a mountain river. And at that moment I realized that I absolutely do not miss our picnics with barbecue among the birch trees. Seeing a mountain river, visiting the jungle, climbing in this mud - it's worth it.

- Is it dangerous in the jungle? Are there many snakes?

There are a lot of snakes everywhere. Even at our work, fumigation is carried out regularly. But you still come across small snakes - although small, they are very dangerous and poisonous. Therefore, there were always antidotes in our first aid kit.

- What can you say about the level of medicine in Venezuela?

We were not recommended to use local medical services. Our company provides medical insurance for full services, except for dentists. One of our people went to a Venezuelan dentist just to have a crown removed. But the doctor did not have an instrument. They looked for him all over the city (and this was in Valencia, a city comparable in size to Minsk). And they never found how to remove the crown.

Hugo Chavez, America, politics

- Speaking about Venezuela, one cannot ignore the personality of Hugo Chavez. How did you see the attitude of the country's residents towards him?

I arrived in Venezuela when he was already undergoing treatment in Cuba. But the attitude towards him is such that no one even thinks that, for example, the results of the presidential election could be rigged. Chavez is his guy, a real Venezuelan. He was supported by both the poor and the rich. He said and did exactly what people wanted him to do. That's why most people in the country are crazy about him. True, recently many people have begun to lean toward the opposition. And the current President Maduro’s support is no longer the same as that of his eminent predecessor. He is not a leader of a nation, as Chavez was. People themselves say: “Maduro is far from Chavez.”

- What happened when they announced the death of Chavez?

A week of mourning was immediately declared in the country. All shops and all establishments were closed. It became very dangerous to be on the street, as everyone gathered at the demonstration, shouting, shooting, and hitting pots.

Chavez and Maduro have always harshly criticized America, considering the United States one of Venezuela's main enemies. How do ordinary people feel about this?

The middle class and poor population are indifferent to this situation. The rich are more positive, since all the capital and innovative technologies were brought by the Americans. But then Chavez kicked American businesses out of the country. Officially, everyone should be against the Americans, but at the same time, they use everything American everywhere, right down to the door handles and windows. Yes, much more, the way of work and even the legislative system are built in the American way.

-What is the political activity of people?

It's all quite interesting to them. They heatedly discuss politics even at work. By the way, if Venezuelans want to discuss something during working hours, even on work matters, then they need to be given time specifically for this, otherwise they will go on strike and will not work. They can stop working, in principle, for any reason.

Corn pasties, cockroaches, nightclubs

- Returning to the topic of everyday life. What interesting things can you tell us about Venezuelan cuisine, what they eat there, what exotic things have you tried?

Almost everything is exotic there; you can find little of the dishes we are used to. A very popular food is arepas. This is a pancake or flatbread made from corn flour and water. This is a universal high-calorie food for both rich and poor. Also, an empanada is a kind of cheburek, also made from corn flour and stuffed with meat, chicken, and seafood. Their national dish is parilla, something similar to kebabs: pieces of meat baked with vegetables, potatoes, seafood - all mixed together. These are the most popular dishes.

- What diet do they follow?

They are very strict with this. They get up, immediately have breakfast, come to work - and they definitely have to eat one empanada, without this they simply won’t start working. Then at 12 o’clock there must be a second breakfast or lunch, then an afternoon snack, and then dinner. If they have lunch, say, an hour later, then this is very bad: they say that they are hungry and cannot work, and they stop working.

- What impressions did you have from visiting Venezuelan cafes and restaurants?

The main flavor is the absence of a sanitation station in Venezuela with all the ensuing consequences. You can never be sure that you won’t see cockroaches in a cafe. For example, I ordered a salad, it had maggots in it. Once they brought a chicken - it still had feathers. You can place an order, the waiter will stand and nod, but will bring something completely different, but it will no longer be possible to change it, you never know - you made a mistake.

- Attitude towards tips?

They just don't wait for them. As I already said, Venezuelan people do not chase money at all, especially since prices change every day, so the same amount every other day will have a completely different value.

- Did you go to a nightclub? How's the atmosphere there?

Yes, I visited. The main feature is that they play purely Latin American music; you rarely hear foreign melodies anywhere. They believe that if they don’t understand music, then it’s not interesting to listen to it. Almost all middle-aged people share this opinion. Although young people can listen to American music. Therefore, the club plays about 80% Latin American music.

- You need to get to and from the club at night. How safe is it and what precautions should be taken into account?

- You never know what you can expect on the street at any time of the day. If someone needs you, they will wait for you as long as necessary. There were cases when shooting started in clubs. Security in clubs must check for weapons. After leaving the club, you need to take a taxi, a government taxi, as quickly as possible and go home. Although, again, there were cases when taxi drivers robbed passengers...

Simon Bolivar, free exercise equipment, Indian settlements

- What are national holidays and how are they celebrated?

Simon Bolivar's birthday, Independence Day. In general, they have holidays that relate to a specific region of the country, because there are 24 states. In the state of Carabobo, where I was, the official holiday is the Day of the Battle of Carabobo, which is celebrated on June 24, and this day is declared a day off. Processions or any kind of festivities are not held there in our usual sense, because it is quite dangerous. You have to understand that in Venezuela you can’t even just go for a walk in the park, as you can immediately become a victim of malandros robbers. Therefore, it is better to get ready and go to a restaurant or club.

- Are Venezuelans interested in sports?

Baseball and football are popular among them. But I’ve never even seen anyone playing basketball somewhere on the street. Bullfighting is very common, I think, as in all Latin American countries. They invite matadors from different countries and cheer for their own in this unique competition.

- Do ordinary people, young people, go in for sports?

Let's start with the fact that there are no stadiums for mass training. But in poor areas there are areas on the street where there are exercise machines - apparently, this is the merit of Chavez. And they are never empty; people are constantly working there. They are all quite fit and look good. And rich people go to gyms - for them it is an obligatory attribute of life.

- Education, schools?

Schools, like urbanizations, are also behind a fence and guarded. Most poor people are not very well educated, they even speak Spanish with errors, and they are poorly aware of any general knowledge. And wealthy Venezuelans who study at universities have something to talk about with them, their horizons are broader.

- How is order and cleanliness on the streets?

Very dirty. In fact, anything can lie on the street. As Venezuelans told me, there are no public services there, and no one takes out the garbage. They threw it away, and it will just lie there and rot in the 30-degree heat. Accordingly, the smell is specific. And also rats, snakes, everything that goes with it...

- What role does religion play in the life of Venezuelans?

The main faith is Catholic. Well, the percentage of believers, I think, is approximately the same as ours: some believe, others only to an extent.

- So our ideas that everyone there is fanatical believers is incorrect?

Yes, that's how I imagined them too. But in reality this is just our stereotype. Although at the same time, if Venezuelans write an SMS or some kind of message to someone, they always add something like “God be with you” or “We will definitely pray for you.”

- Are there many temples, what is interesting about them?

Not so much. I've only been to two in all this time. I didn't have a chance to attend the service. But inside the temples are the same as those I saw in Spain.

- Are the indigenous Indians still alive?

I did not see any native Indians. But I know that peculiar tribes exist there. Venezuela is home to the tallest waterfall in the world, Angel Falls. You must first get there by plane, then sail by boat and then walk for an hour or two through the jungle. And the people who live there look like real Indians. They live in their own settlements and speak very little Spanish. They told me about them that these are people living a carefree life, without a telephone, without the Internet - and they absolutely do not care about it.

- How different was the Spanish you knew from the one you had to communicate in Venezuela?

- The Spanish language in Spain, where I lived, and in Latin America are two big differences. On the first day, I couldn’t understand what they were saying at all. They have a whole bunch of their own words. It's Spanish mixed with some kind of Indian dialect. The words and expressions are peculiar, so it is quite difficult for translators who have previously worked in Spain to immediately get into the job. It takes two to three weeks to adapt to the local variety of Spanish.

- What is it like for our fellow citizens who come there to work without knowing the language?

- They communicate either with the help of translators, or only among themselves in Russian.

- Will you go to Venezuela to work again after your vacation?

- Yes, I plan to work there for another year.

- Did you have any desire to stay there forever?

- No. I plan to earn some more money there and return. Only desperate people stay there. Although they remain... Even with an income of 500 dollars, if you exchange it at the unofficial rate, you can live very well there. Venezuelan engineers, for example, receive much less.

Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. More than 3 million people live in the city, and together with the suburbs there are 4.5 million inhabitants. Venezuela itself has always been considered one of the richest countries in the world due to its large oil reserves. However, the citizens of this country have never lived richly due to high corruption and a handful of rich people who appropriate all the proceeds from oil sales.

The country's former president Hugo Chavez (died in 2013) tried to turn the situation around. He nationalized natural resources, reined in the rich and forced national oil corporations to pay 84% of their profits to the state treasury, up from 35%. With the proceeds, free hospitals, schools, universities were opened in the country, and state-owned factories and combines were built.

An example of concern for ordinary people during the time of Hugo Chavez was the fact that filling a full tank of a car at any gas station in Venezuela cost less than $1. This is not surprising, since the president himself was distinguished by complete selflessness. He transferred his salary to one of the universities as a scholarship for students, and lived only on a military pension.

In general, Hugo Chavez has significantly raised the standard of living in the country. There is no doubt about it. However, he was unable to overcome crime. Here, as an example, we can consider crime in Caracas, where the criminal environment is extremely numerous. But to understand the origins of the criminalization of society, you need to briefly familiarize yourself with the history of the state.

Venezuela was discovered in 1498 by Christopher Columbus. He was fascinated by the nature of these places, and after some time the Spaniards discovered a beautiful green valley in the mountains. They founded a settlement in it, which over time turned into the city of Caracas, located 15 km from the sea.

In the 18th century, settlers from Spain began to make huge profits from the coffee and cocoa trade. But the blacks, creoles and mestizos did not get rich. Therefore, the country was shaken by military coups and revolutions for 2 centuries. But as a result of this, the rich became even richer, and the poor became poor. By the end of the 20th century, the gap between these two segments of the population had reached catastrophic proportions. The most obvious division between the poor and the rich appeared in Caracas.

The modern prosperous city center is surrounded by areas of poor neighborhoods. They have no power. The poor do not pay taxes or pay for utilities. The police do not appear on the streets of such areas, and they are a breeding ground for crime. It is here that gangs arise that terrorize the capital.

Representatives of gangs operate mainly in wealthy areas. Therefore, you can be robbed and beaten right a few steps from a fashionable hotel that has its own armed guards.

Hugo Chavez often said in his speeches that crime in Caracas is akin to the fifth column of the American Yankees. It is supported by local and Colombian rich people. However, not everything is so simple. Criminal gangs also supported the president himself. In 2002, the military overthrew him and arrested him. Criminalized residents of poor areas came to the defense of the head of state. They armed themselves, surrounded the putschists and forced them to release Chavez.

There are many examples in history when a revolution is based on crime. And the social transformations that Hugo Chavez carried out in his country were also subject to this trend. As a result, in 2008 Caracas was recognized as the most criminal and dangerous city in the world. There were 130 murders per 100 thousand people, and according to unofficial data, 160 murders. Compared to 1998, the number of serious crimes increased by 68%.

Robberies on the streets became commonplace. The police did not recommend that people leave their houses after 18:00, and tourists with video cameras were warned that if they come up and demand it, then give it back immediately. Drug trafficking was also commonplace. Venezuela has become a transit point between Colombia and the United States. A dose of heroin could be bought on every corner in Caracas.

In 2009, 45 cases of kidnapping were recorded in the capital. In 2010, this figure increased to 134 cases. The kidnappers simply blocked the victims they liked while traveling in the car on the road, transferred them into their car and took them away in an unknown direction. They were released only after the ransom was handed over. Kidnappings were also widely practiced by police officers. A whole gang of such guardians of the law was arrested in the capital.

These days the situation has improved slightly. UN experts say that 20% of all crimes are committed by police. The authorities are trying to combat rampant crime. In this regard, a police reform program has been created. There is a special department supervising tourists. Its employees wear red berets. Mobile mobile police stations have appeared.

Every Christmas, to reduce the crime rate in Caracas, National Guard units are brought into the city to patrol the streets. This is due to the fact that on holidays citizens make a lot of purchases and carry large sums of money with them. Therefore, crime is intensifying.

At the same time, the paradox is that city residents are quite calm about the high level of crime. They are even proud that they have surpassed other Latin American cities in this indicator. Most Caracas residents simply live and enjoy life. Workers are not overworked. Lunch starts at noon, and then everyone waits until it's time for dinner.

However, everything flows, everything changes. During the time of Hugo Chavez, the unemployed received a good government benefit corresponding to 300 US dollars. And this is in a warm climate and bargain prices for fruits and vegetables. Therefore, 95% of Venezuelans quite sincerely considered themselves happy. The recorded level of happiness in this country exceeded that in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. But Venezuela has now become a political battleground, and the situation in the state has become tense and uncertain.

 

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