New security plan in Venezuela targets gang violence, but opposition smells politics

Last week Venezuelans received with a mix of surprise, relief and skepticism the news of an early morning police raid into one of the most violent neighborhoods of west Caracas, home to a slew of heavily armed gangs. The takeover of Cota 905 ended up with 15 gang members dead and 134 arrested, according to official reports, which described the operation as part of a new security plan called “Operación de Liberación y Protección del Pueblo” (Operation Liberation and Protection of the People) to be implemented in the areas of the country deemed the most unsafe. More…