Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2386
2007-12-21 12:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
PUBLIC REPORTING UNDERESTIMATES RISING HOMICIDE
how-toVZCZCXRO7817 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHCV #2386 3551257 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211257Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0343 INFO RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002386
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM VE
SUBJECT: PUBLIC REPORTING UNDERESTIMATES RISING HOMICIDE
FIGURES
REF: A. CARACAS 03521
B. CARACAS 00022
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002386
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM VE
SUBJECT: PUBLIC REPORTING UNDERESTIMATES RISING HOMICIDE
FIGURES
REF: A. CARACAS 03521
B. CARACAS 00022
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan newspaper, El Universal,
reported that 315 violent deaths occurred in Caracas during
the first two weeks of December, an average of 15.5 per day.
The chief coroner (protect) at the Caracas morgue told
Poloff that the actual rate was closer to one per hour. El
Universal calculated the Caracas murder rate in November as
532 deaths, exceeding Los Angeles' homicide count of 457 for
all of 2006. According to the coroner, a political appointee
loyal to Justice and Interior Minister Pedro Carreno compiles
the statistics from each office and sends them directly to
Carreno without sharing them with other morgue personnel.
Pollsters indicate that high crime is the primary concern of
most Venezuelans, regardless of income level. Opposition
parties have focused on the rising crime rate in their
criticism of the Chavez administration. End Summary.
2. (SBU) El Universal, Venezuela's newspaper of record,
reported on December 16 that murders during the first fifteen
days of December totaled 315. The broadsheet contrasted
December's figure with November's tally of 532 homicides.
With a population of 4.7 million, Caracas is similar in size
to Los Angeles, California's 4.1 million but, in all of 2006,
LA only had 457 murders. Using El Universal's November figure
to extrapolate an annual average, there are 11.1 murders for
every 100,000 Angelinos, but Caracenos suffer a surfeit of
roughly 135 murders per 100,000.
3. (C) PolOff visited the director of the central morgue,
Dr. Boris Bossio (protect throughout),a 28 year professional
who described his department as operating at less that half
strength, exhausted and unmotivated. Pointing out the age of
his facility, he noted that "in 1935, Caracas had five
murders a month, now it is averaging one an hour." When
asked about the accuracy of El Universal's December 18 report
alleging that 67 persons had been murdered over the four day
weekend, Bossio indicated that it was not safe to talk, but
using gestures made it unmistakably clear that the actual
number was upwards of 100 dead. Bossio described all
neighborhoods at risk because of high criminal mobility due
to cheap gasoline. He noted that the aggressiveness of the
crimes has increased, with victims often arriving with five
or more gunshot wounds. Since some 45% of the victims were
males between 20-30 years of age, Dr. Bossio is concerned
about the socio-demographic impact. Although murder and
violent crime statistics are not available to the press or
public, Bossio explained that an appointee from the Ministry
of Justice and the Interior collected the figures sending
them directly to Minister Pedro Carreno without sharing them
with other morgue staff.
4. (SBU) Polls have consistently shown crime as being a
top concern among Venezuelans of all socio-economic strata.
Several opposition parties, such as Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT),
Primera Justicia (PJ) and pro-government party PODEMOS have
placed crime and insecurity at the vanguard of their
criticisms of the Chavez administration. PJ Secretary
General Carlos Ocariz called on President Chavez to accept
his referendum defeat, put aside his political agenda and
stop the wave of homicides. PODEMOS party Vice President
Ricardo Gutierrez said his party would "fight for a system of
personal security for all Venezuelans."
5. (C) Comment: Although official metrics remain
unavailable, Venezuelans have a certainty that the security
situation has become worse. Adding to the stress is the
pervasiveness of violent crime in every neighborhood, which
requires residents to be on constant alert. While the BRV
may seek to withhold the statistics, media interest and
public unhappiness makes the subject of violent crime a daily
issue.
DUDDY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM VE
SUBJECT: PUBLIC REPORTING UNDERESTIMATES RISING HOMICIDE
FIGURES
REF: A. CARACAS 03521
B. CARACAS 00022
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan newspaper, El Universal,
reported that 315 violent deaths occurred in Caracas during
the first two weeks of December, an average of 15.5 per day.
The chief coroner (protect) at the Caracas morgue told
Poloff that the actual rate was closer to one per hour. El
Universal calculated the Caracas murder rate in November as
532 deaths, exceeding Los Angeles' homicide count of 457 for
all of 2006. According to the coroner, a political appointee
loyal to Justice and Interior Minister Pedro Carreno compiles
the statistics from each office and sends them directly to
Carreno without sharing them with other morgue personnel.
Pollsters indicate that high crime is the primary concern of
most Venezuelans, regardless of income level. Opposition
parties have focused on the rising crime rate in their
criticism of the Chavez administration. End Summary.
2. (SBU) El Universal, Venezuela's newspaper of record,
reported on December 16 that murders during the first fifteen
days of December totaled 315. The broadsheet contrasted
December's figure with November's tally of 532 homicides.
With a population of 4.7 million, Caracas is similar in size
to Los Angeles, California's 4.1 million but, in all of 2006,
LA only had 457 murders. Using El Universal's November figure
to extrapolate an annual average, there are 11.1 murders for
every 100,000 Angelinos, but Caracenos suffer a surfeit of
roughly 135 murders per 100,000.
3. (C) PolOff visited the director of the central morgue,
Dr. Boris Bossio (protect throughout),a 28 year professional
who described his department as operating at less that half
strength, exhausted and unmotivated. Pointing out the age of
his facility, he noted that "in 1935, Caracas had five
murders a month, now it is averaging one an hour." When
asked about the accuracy of El Universal's December 18 report
alleging that 67 persons had been murdered over the four day
weekend, Bossio indicated that it was not safe to talk, but
using gestures made it unmistakably clear that the actual
number was upwards of 100 dead. Bossio described all
neighborhoods at risk because of high criminal mobility due
to cheap gasoline. He noted that the aggressiveness of the
crimes has increased, with victims often arriving with five
or more gunshot wounds. Since some 45% of the victims were
males between 20-30 years of age, Dr. Bossio is concerned
about the socio-demographic impact. Although murder and
violent crime statistics are not available to the press or
public, Bossio explained that an appointee from the Ministry
of Justice and the Interior collected the figures sending
them directly to Minister Pedro Carreno without sharing them
with other morgue staff.
4. (SBU) Polls have consistently shown crime as being a
top concern among Venezuelans of all socio-economic strata.
Several opposition parties, such as Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT),
Primera Justicia (PJ) and pro-government party PODEMOS have
placed crime and insecurity at the vanguard of their
criticisms of the Chavez administration. PJ Secretary
General Carlos Ocariz called on President Chavez to accept
his referendum defeat, put aside his political agenda and
stop the wave of homicides. PODEMOS party Vice President
Ricardo Gutierrez said his party would "fight for a system of
personal security for all Venezuelans."
5. (C) Comment: Although official metrics remain
unavailable, Venezuelans have a certainty that the security
situation has become worse. Adding to the stress is the
pervasiveness of violent crime in every neighborhood, which
requires residents to be on constant alert. While the BRV
may seek to withhold the statistics, media interest and
public unhappiness makes the subject of violent crime a daily
issue.
DUDDY