Daniela Alzuru

Security Abducted: the Chavez Administration and Proliferation Kidnappings in Venezuela Daniela Alzuru

Currently, Venezuela is in a critical state regarding the provision of citizen security. Abysmal crime-related statistics, which have sharply and steadily increased since President Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998, suggest a relationship between the current government and the proliferation of violence there. Of particular threat to Venezuelans is the emergence of a rapidly professionalizing kidnapping industry?one that operates with wide impunity and renders every citizen vulnerable. Furthermore, a parallel business has developed where security privatization reinforces the government?s absolute loss of its monopoly over violence. Once considered a model democracy among its Latin American neighbors, the current crisis of citizen security, as evidenced by the uncontrollable kidnapping situation, indicates that government inefficiencies have directly lowered the quality of democracy afforded to Venezuela?s citizens.