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Caracas has the highest murder rate in the world and all sorts of crime has skyrocketed since the country was plunged into a socialist dictatorship. This is what some of the security cameras have caught in broad daylight. Such a shame how this country has degraded.
It's not as bad as people claim
I was there in August 2013 with my 11 and 9 year old boys that only speak English and we were fine.
I'm sure there's crime, but it's greatly exagerated.
I saw many people walking around with their brand new smartphones (iphone/Samsung) the same way you see people in the US.
The difference is that in Venezuela is a bad idea, because it won't take long for a thief to steal it.
When I travel over there I take ZERO luxury items and nobody ever messes with me.
And before anyone tries to discredit this list based on assumptions that some of the cities listed shouldn't be there because they don't feel safe, it does says this:
Quote:
Being statistically safe is not the same as feeling safe. Out of the 50 cities, only Zurich and Mexico City get the same rank in the overall index as they do in the indicator that measures the perception of safety among their citizens. Urban citizens in the US, for instance, tend to feel less safe than they should, based on their city’s position in the Index. The challenge for city leaders is to translate progress on safety into changing public perceptions. But cities also aspire to be attractive places to live in. So smart solutions, such as intelligent lighting, should be pursued over ubiquitous cameras or gated communities.
What do you think we've been doing, we're in the process of getting my wifes immigrant visa and green card as we speak, about 4 or 5 more months and we're blowing this popstand.
Alternatively, you guys could move to nearby Chile or Uruguay, both of which are safer than Argentina.
Any American thinking of going to Venezuela should really reconsider it. Venezuela crime wise is like Colombia was back in the 80's and 90's. Gringos are sought after for their money and could get easily kidnap for ramson money
Many latin American countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and all central America have high crime compared to the US and Western Europe
You cannot just based your impressions on government released statistics or a 2 week vacation. Talk to people and realize how many people have been victims of armed robberies or know someone who died in a shooting.
You can travel there but get informed and be prepared. You ain't in Kansas anymore.
Many latin American countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and all central America have high crime compared to the US and Western Europe
You cannot just based your impressions on government released statistics or a 2 week vacation. Talk to people and realize how many people have been victims of armed robberies or know someone who died in a shooting.
You can travel there but get informed and be prepared. You ain't in Kansas anymore.
I wouldn't put all of Mexico in that group. Many areas of Mexico have high crime and then there are areas that are perfectly safe. In Venezuela the crime issue is everywhere. That country is simply one giant mess and then add this to the mix:
Its almost unbelievable that in the 1950's Venezuela was among the top 10 richest countries on the planet and well above much of Latin America.
Many latin American countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and all central America have high crime compared to the US and Western Europe
You cannot just based your impressions on government released statistics or a 2 week vacation. Talk to people and realize how many people have been victims of armed robberies or know someone who died in a shooting.
You can travel there but get informed and be prepared. You ain't in Kansas anymore.
Same thing is true with respect to countries like South Africa, Kenya, or Jamaica.
Back to Latin America - even with respect to countries like Brazil, Argentina, or (as AntonioR is saying) Mexico, there are relatively safe areas and then there are more dangerous areas, the latter typically being the bigger cities. Within Central America as far as I know, Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua are all safer than Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
I'm just curious, AntonioR: What country do you live in?
I wouldn't put all of Mexico in that group. Many areas of Mexico have high crime and then there are areas that are perfectly safe. In Venezuela the crime issue is everywhere.
As a person who has traveled throughout most of South America; I also felt like crime was WAY worse in Venezuela. Significantly moreso.
The interesting thing about this thread is how many people keep trying to counter that argument with 'its also bad in Argentina or Mexico'. While, no doubt crime is a problem throughout Latin America. I experienced so very little of it compared to how much I experienced in my comparitively much shorter time spent in Venezuela.
I have to state for the record, that the issues in Venezuela are on a whole other level. I felt like it was at every level as well. Whereas in other parts of SOuth America, it's just on the street level. In Venezeula, it seemed like the sense of watching yourself basically starts the moment you arrive, and will not end again until you are safely in your plane out again. Not even being in the airport is 'safe' from con men and such.
Just as an aside, I had a large number of issues/problems/situations in Venezuela. But at the airport alone, I had an official guy try to bring me to some dark stairwell (telling me I had to pay some airport tax in some other office area), and the moment I went to the elevator with him, some other people saw him trying to enter the elevator with me, and he ran off quickly upon being recognized.
Then when I was checking my bags in at the counter, the 'counter/conveyor belt guy' tried to tell me that my plane was leaving sooner than schedule (I had arrived two hours in advance with plenty of time), and he grabbed my carry-ons, and started running through the airport with my carry-ons. I had to chase him, and luckily he did bring me to my correct gate. But then quickly demanded I give him US$20 for carrying (running) my bags to the gate. I had to argue, deal with, diffuse that situation, and ultimately gave him $1-2 to get him to go away. But thats the kind of stuff you have to deal with even AFTER you pass through airport security at the entrance!
The stuff 'out there' was worse, and I could write a few chapters in a novel on that quite easily. I'll refrain from doing that with just the 'departures lounge' experience alone, a small sliver of my entire 2-week Venezuela experience.
Just so people don't think that was the worse that happened to me, I also came to the airport with a severely brutalized black eye, a bruised neck with fingermarks-shaped bruises, a handful of other bruises on other parts of my stomach, sides, etc. and a brand new American passport that I had to have issued in Venezuela
As a person who has traveled throughout most of South America; I also felt like crime was WAY worse in Venezuela. Significantly moreso.
The interesting thing about this thread is how many people keep trying to counter that argument with 'its also bad in Argentina or Mexico'. While, no doubt crime is a problem throughout Latin America. I experienced so very little of it compared to how much I experienced in my comparitively much shorter time spent in Venezuela.
I have to state for the record, that the issues in Venezuela are on a whole other level. I felt like it was at every level as well. Whereas in other parts of SOuth America, it's just on the street level. In Venezeula, it seemed like the sense of watching yourself basically starts the moment you arrive, and will not end again until you are safely in your plane out again. Not even being in the airport is 'safe' from con men and such.
Just as an aside, I had a large number of issues/problems/situations in Venezuela. But at the airport alone, I had an official guy try to bring me to some dark stairwell (telling me I had to pay some airport tax in some other office area), and the moment I went to the elevator with him, some other people saw him trying to enter the elevator with me, and he ran off quickly upon being recognized.
Then when I was checking my bags in at the counter, the 'counter/conveyor belt guy' tried to tell me that my plane was leaving sooner than schedule (I had arrived two hours in advance with plenty of time), and he grabbed my carry-ons, and started running through the airport with my carry-ons. I had to chase him, and luckily he did bring me to my correct gate. But then quickly demanded I give him US$20 for carrying (running) my bags to the gate. I had to argue, deal with, diffuse that situation, and ultimately gave him $1-2 to get him to go away. But thats the kind of stuff you have to deal with even AFTER you pass through airport security at the entrance!
The stuff 'out there' was worse, and I could write a few chapters in a novel on that quite easily. I'll refrain from doing that with just the 'departures lounge' experience alone, a small sliver of my entire 2-week Venezuela experience.
Just so people don't think that was the worse that happened to me, I also came to the airport with a severely brutalized black eye, a bruised neck with fingermarks-shaped bruises, a handful of other bruises on other parts of my stomach, sides, etc. and a brand new American passport that I had to have issued in Venezuela
Venezuelas worse, I'm aware....but here it is getting worse, and I don't see the insecurity situation improving and it's definately not nearly as safe as most places back home, trust me.
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