Amid Crisis, Venezuela Citizens Take Security into Own Hands

Communities in Caracas are turning to private security and vigilante groups in response to the state failures behind Venezuela's security crisis, but examples from around the region show this can be a dangerous path to take. Several crime-plagued municipalities in the Caracas metropolitan area have taken to organizing security patrols mostly carried out by off duty or former members of the security forces, according to a report by El Nacional. In some cases, local businesses, institutions and residents have combined to pay for private security services, while in others the communities themselves have formed security groups that work in conjunction with the police. More…