Homicide rate in Venezuela

Homicide rate in Venezuela from 2014 to 2024 (in number of homicides per 100,000 inhabitants)

Characteristic	Homicides per 100,000 inhabitants
2024**	26.2
2023	26.8
2022	40.4
2021	40.9
2020	45.6
2019	60.3
2018	81.4
2017	89
2016	59
2015*	90
2014	54

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Release date

February 2025

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Region

Venezuela

Survey time period

2014 to 2024

Supplementary notes

*The figure refers to the violent death rate, which includes violent deaths in which the cause of death is unknown, as well as deadly confrontations involving security forces. No figure for the country's homicide rate was released that year.

**The source reports that the data for this year are either unreliable, incomplete or measure homicides in a way that does not allow comparisons with rates in other countries.

Data prior to 2023 were retrieved from previous releases of the publication.

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In 2024, there were nearly 26.20 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, down from a homicide rate of 26.8 a year earlier. Since 2017, when it peaked, the homicide rate in Venezuela has been decreasing year after year.

Falling homicide rate, but still higher than the Latin American average

The country held the fifth position for the highest homicide rate in Latin America, recording 26.2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, even after experiencing a steady decrease in the rate over the years. In line with this alarming rate, the Venezuelan city of Cumana was ranked as the 11th most dangerous city in the world in 2023, reporting a rate of 62.42. Among these homicide cases, the majority, approximately 5,800, are still under investigation, while the remainder falls into categories of closed cases, those resisting authority, or have been categorized as disappearances, painting a grim picture of the challenges faced in addressing violent crime.

Corruption in Venezuela

In the corruption index, which ranges from 0 representing the worst case to 100 signifying no corruption, Venezuela has earned the unfortunate distinction of being the most corrupt country in Latin America, with a meager score of 10 in 2024. Moreover, the estimated corruption control score has been steadily declining, reaching -1.69 in 2024, where lower numbers indicate a higher degree of corruption, painting a worrisome picture. To compound matters, the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing has persistently remained at a high level, recording a score of 7.59 during 2024.