LUIS CEDENO: The fact of the matter is that Chavez has
never spoken about crime and violence.
To not recognize that crime and violence is the number one
issue is overlooking a huge reality of what Venezuelan
people are living today.
Now apparently, at last, the president has said that crime
is a problem--
after 12, 13 years--
but this time of ours, too little too late.
RYAN DUFFY: With the government not addressing the
crime and violence issue until very recently, local news
reporters have taken it upon themselves
to educate the public.
Right now we're on our way to meet Davis Ramirez who's the
local crime reporter for El Universal.
We're going to tag along with him on
his beat around Caracas.
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
RYAN DUFFY: During our interview, Davis got a call
about a body that was found in downtown Caracas bound,
tortured, and decomposing.
We sped off to the scene.
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
RYAN DUFFY: In 2008, the year that crime became the number
one public issue, the government stopped releasing
official figures to the public.
Now reporters like Davis are forced to construct these
numbers on their own.
[?
CONSUELO DE DUARTE: [SPEAKING SPANISH] ?]
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
RYAN DUFFY: After a day of chasing bodies, we hit another
regular stop on Davis's beat, Caracas' only morgue.
And the only place to get an accurate count of the victims.
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
RYAN DUFFY: So are this many journalists here every day?
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
RYAN DUFFY: Are there official government channels that are
here as well, or is it all opposition coverage?
DAVIS RAMIREZ MIRANDA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
RYAN DUFFY: There's kind of this weird duality to this.
Where on one hand it feels really uncomfortable and
really predatory, and you're just standing around waiting
on something terrible to happen.
On the other hand, it's information service.
There's no other way to find out these statistics and the
actual homicide numbers because the government doesn't
release them.
So there really is no other way to get this information
than to be here waiting for people to die.
