Venezuela Believes Govt Involved in Organized Crime: Survey

A Venezuelan survey indicates a growing percentage of Venezuela's population thinks state institutions are carrying out and facilitating organized crime activities. The joint survey (pdf) by the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence (known by its Spanish acronym OVV), the Observatory on Organized Crime, and the Laboratory on Social Sciences (LACSO) suggests a large percentage of Venezuelans believe the security forces are involved in arms and drug trafficking.  Polling 3,500 individuals from seven Venezuelan states, the survey found 66 percent of Venezuelans believe that the police and military sell weapons to organized crime groups. Meanwhile, 62 percent of respondents said they think drug traffickers include corrupted elements of the military, up from 52 percent in 2013. More…