But Chile ranks lowest in the entire continent

Violence, oftentimes deadly violence, is a growing reality in most Latin American countries, according to a study released this week by Brazilian newspaper Folha, which cited OAS sources.

One of every three homicides occurring in the world today takes place in Latin America, said the study, and one half of all the world’s kidnappings occur in Latin countries.

The study found homicides most prevalent in Venezuela, with 52 homicides each year for every 100,000 inhabitants.  Colombia is next, with 33, followed by Brazil with 25, Paraguay with 16. Chile had the lowest annual homicide rate in Latin America, with 1.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Most of the civilian killings are linked to drug-related gang violence or committed by law enforcement authorities, street criminals or vigilantes.

The study also confirmed that this part of the world is steadily arming itself. Most Latin American countries either produce or import small arms and Brazil is the regional leader in small firearms manufacturing.

One of the least explicable trends, said the study, is the high number of murders in Venezuela. In 2007 the homicide rate in the capital, Caracas, reached 130 murders per of 100,000 inhabitants. Gun-related crime appears to have soared under the leadership of President Hugo Chavez. But in neighboring Colombia gang homicides have ebbed, despite continued guerrilla activity.

Colombia and the United States recently signed a military cooperation pact to combat drug-related crime and drug smuggling to North America.

The study also suggested that Guatemala’s skyrocketing incidence of homicides – 6,000 in 2008 – is related to increased activity by the Mexican drug cartels.

Many leading analysts blame illegal drug trading for the number of murders in Latin America, especially in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador.

According to Folha analyst Patricio Giusto, “The growing murder rate and escalating delinquency rated crime in the region is a fair reflection of the laissez-faire attitude of some Latin American government on preventing crime.”

Still, center-left governments in Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador are all drafting radical plans to come down hard on crime.

SOURCE: LA TERCERA, BBC, LATIN AMERCIAN NEWS LETTERS
By Paul Herbert ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )