Coverage of Venezuela’s criminal landscape is often focused on larger-scale threats, such as Colombian guerrilla groups operating along the border. But smaller gangs have often established localized but strong areas of control that prove hard to break. According to local security officials, El Curi enjoys a Robin Hood-like reputation among towns near the highway due to his generosity. This has helped to protect him and his men.Similar situations can be found across Venezuela, with smaller, localized gangs increasing their power in rural areas or on the outskirts of cities, where security forces are not so prevalent. Full Text -> InSightCrime

Traducción de cortesía -> La cobertura del panorama criminal de Venezuela a menudo se centra en amenazas de mayor escala, como los grupos guerrilleros colombianos que operan a lo largo de la frontera. Pero las pandillas más pequeñas a menudo han establecido áreas de control localizadas pero fuertes que resultan difíciles de romper. Según los funcionarios de seguridad locales, El Curi goza de una reputación similar a la de Robin Hood entre los pueblos cercanos a la carretera debido a su generosidad. Esto ha ayudado a protegerlo a él y a sus hombres. Se pueden encontrar situaciones similares en Venezuela, con pandillas más pequeñas y localizadas que aumentan su poder en áreas rurales o en las afueras de las ciudades, donde las fuerzas de seguridad no son tan frecuentes.

The biggest rewards were for three criminal leaders known by their aliases of “Koki,” “El Galvis,” and “El Vampi,” while others had prices of between $20,000 and $50,000 placed on their heads.Koki, real name Carlos Luis Revete, is a leader of the gang Cota 905, one of several involved in a fresh outbreak of running battles with police in the poorer neighborhoods of Caracas since Wednesday.Local media say a dozen people have been killed, including a number of bystanders. Full Text -> Inquirer

At least four people died in the past 24 hours due to clashes between security officers of Nicolás Maduro’s regime and armed groups in the Cota 905 neighborhood, west of Caracas, Venezuela.The Executive has been trying to regain control of the area for some months now, and clashes have become frequent. Full Text -> TheRioTimes