Quote:Venezuela has brought a new gun law into effect which bans the commercial sale of firearms and ammunition.

Until now, anyone with a gun permit could buy arms from a private company.

Under the new law, only the army, police and certain groups like security companies will be able to buy arms from the state-owned weapons manufacturer and importer.

The ban is the latest attempt by the government to improve security and cut crime ahead of elections in October

Venezuela saw more than 18,000 murders last year and the capital, Caracas, is thought to be one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America.
'Must do more'

The government has been running a gun amnesty in the run-up to the introduction of the new law to try to encourage people to give up their illegal arms without fear of consequences.

One member of the public in Caracas told the BBC: "They're killing people every day. This law is important but they need to do more, they're not doing enough now."

Hugo Chavez's government says the ultimate aim is to disarm all civilians, but his opponents say the police and government may not have the capacity or the will to enforce the new law.

Criminal violence is set to be a major issue in presidential elections later in the year.

Campaign group The Venezuela Violence Observatory said last year that violence has risen steadily since Mr Chavez took office in 1999.

Several Latin American countries have murder rates far higher than the global average of 6.9 murders per 100,000 people.

According to a recent United Nations report , South America, Central America and the Caribbean have the highest rates of murder by firearms in the world.

It found that over 70% of all homicides in South America are as a results of guns - in Western Europe, the figure was closer to 25%.

(04-21-2017, 11:50 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Remember this little move a few years back?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18288430



Really took care of that violent crime, huh? And now the President tries to use the Judicial branch to eliminate the Legislative branch's power. While bribing military members with promotions to back his power and put down protestors. People dying in the streets.

(04-22-2017, 12:19 AM)Dill Wrote: What are Venezuela's crime stats for 2016-17?

(04-22-2017, 12:38 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: Brownie points if you can actually find them.

You have no idea how hard it is to find accurate data about certain trends in South America.

(04-22-2017, 12:38 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: Brownie points if you can actually find them.

You have no idea how hard it is to find accurate data about certain trends in South America.

(04-22-2017, 12:40 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Yea, I did some quick google searches and these numbers are disputed by various groups. The murder rate can range from 39 per 100,000 (compared to our 4) to 70. The government is more likely to underreport while human rights groups overreport. The government would say that murder rate has decreased while outside groups dispute this.

(04-22-2017, 02:24 PM)Dill Wrote: And yet, whoever wrote LL's BBC article appears confident enough to present gun/violence data from Venezuela.

We do have fairly reliable stats for the US. It would be interesting to see how they compare to Venezuela.  E.g., I believe the murder rate in one city, Dallas, is 12.4 per 100,000, as mentioned in this article.  That would be double the global average given in LL's article.
http://www.factcheck.org/2016/07/dueling-claims-on-crime-trend/

(04-22-2017, 01:31 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I thinlk you guys are missing the point of the OP.

GUN LAWS are what have cause all the violence in Vebezuela.

If the government had not taken away all fo the guns there would be no violence or civil uinrest of any type in that country.

Damn GUN LAWS!!!!!!

(04-22-2017, 02:27 PM)Dill Wrote: Oh yeah, well Donald Trump and his AG say crime is rising in the US--MURDERS! But the crime stats don't seem to back that up.

Trump won the election so you can't say he doesn't know what he is doing.  I suggest we ask HIM which of the reported stats on Venezuelan gun crime is correct and just go by that. :andy:

(04-22-2017, 03:21 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: Whoever wrote that for the BBC is a ******. The UN Report it cites even says that it's presenting data that's either from "2010 or the latest available", implying that at least some of the data is outdated.

(04-22-2017, 03:21 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Actually never said that, but thanks for putting that good 'ol Fred BS spin on it.

What I was saying was it probably sure would be nice to still own your gun while the President is trying to steal all power in the government, there are roving bands of criminals (who still have guns) stealing food that other people can't afford to lose, and the military is looking like they are going to turn into a dictators hit squad.

Sure would be nice to be able to defend yourself (or at least go shoot a wild animal to eat while starving) rather than just bend over and take it from everyone.

(04-22-2017, 04:01 PM)Dill Wrote: If you were president of Venezuela, what sort of solution would you work to implement?

Or, an easier version of this question might be, what would you differently than Maduro?

(04-22-2017, 02:27 PM)Dill Wrote: Oh yeah, well Donald Trump and his AG say crime is rising in the US--MURDERS! But the crime stats don't seem to back that up.

Trump won the election so you can't say he doesn't know what he is doing.  I suggest we ask HIM which of the reported stats on Venezuelan gun crime is correct and just go by that. :andy:

(04-22-2017, 04:35 PM)bfine32 Wrote: We made it all the way to post 7.

PESD is a terrible affliction.

(04-22-2017, 04:48 PM)GMDino Wrote: It was a valid comparison about leaders picking a choosing the stats they use.

(04-22-2017, 04:01 PM)Dill Wrote: If you were president of Venezuela, what sort of solution would you work to implement?

Or, an easier version of this question might be, what would you differently than Maduro?

(04-22-2017, 05:34 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Of course you think the comparison was apt in a thread about Venezuelan gun laws. You cannot identify the PESD symptems, because you are a fellow suffer.

(04-22-2017, 04:30 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I wouldn't run to be President of Venezuela, because I don't like corruption. I would end up having an "accident" for not playing ball if I did run.

That said, what I would do differently than Maduro, would be not trying to hijack legislative power away in order to make myself a supreme dictator. Not bribing military members with the rank General and Admiral to make them my lackeys. Not hijacking ownership of foreign businesses to absolutely ensure that no other company will ever want to come to my country. (They just took a GE plant.)

Maybe work harder on getting my progressively starving citizens some food rather than looking for ways to get more bribes, kickbacks, and power. People are eating all their pets and horses and such to keep from starving. That is generally a pretty good indication that you're not doing a good job.