Rule of law crisis, militarization of citizen security, and effects on human rights in Venezuela
Date of Publication
2020 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Political Stability
Keywords
Political Stability, Rule of Law, militarization, citizen security, homicide, governance
Description
Venezuela has one of the highest homicide rates in the world as well as the highest rate of killings by state officials in Latin America. This article seeks to interpret the evolution of violence over the last 20 years through studying the militarization of citizen security policies and the rule of law crisis. Crime was no longer framed as a socio-economic issue, so the neutralization of enemies became a priority This has occurred in the context of an increasingly militarized citizen security policy that actively involves the military, the militarization of the police and state promotion of civilian armed groups. The parallel rule of law crisis has removed most of the limits to the process of militarization and has contributed to the high levels of violence. This paper argues that the Venezuelan state currently can be understood as anomic, without clear and consistent rules.
Report Location
Rule of law crisis, militarization of citizen security, and effects on human rights in Venezuela
Venezuela has one of the highest homicide rates in the world as well as the highest rate of killings by state officials in Latin America. This article seeks to interpret the evolution of violence over the last 20 years through studying the militarization of citizen security policies and the rule of law crisis. Crime was no longer framed as a socio-economic issue, so the neutralization of enemies became a priority This has occurred in the context of an increasingly militarized citizen security policy that actively involves the military, the militarization of the police and state promotion of civilian armed groups. The parallel rule of law crisis has removed most of the limits to the process of militarization and has contributed to the high levels of violence. This paper argues that the Venezuelan state currently can be understood as anomic, without clear and consistent rules.
