By: Daniel Nardini
In an effort to stop what the Venezuelan government calls a crime wave gone out of control, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced a complete ban on the legal sales of all guns. All private gun shops are no longer allowed to sell firearms to anyone (other than to police or military personnel). It is the government’s “attempt” to get the guns off the streets of Venezuela’s major cities. It may sound sensible considering how bad the country’s crime and especially homicide rate is. Last year alone, Venezuela had 19,000 homicide victims. This is especially high for a country with 27 million people. What it means is that Venezuela has a homicide rate of roughly 48 people per 100,000. This may also be an under-estimate because there may be cases of murder that go un-reported. Given all of this, the complete ban on private ownership of guns (which is what this is) may sound understandable.
Actually, it is not. Last year, legal sales of guns was 25,000. However, there are an estimated 2 million guns, almost all illegally bought and sold, out there on the streets. The ban on legal gun sales will in fact do nothing to stop the illegal supply of guns to criminals or anyone who can get them. It simply means that ordinary citizens will be deprived of the legal measure of defending themselves. Looked at this way, it makes no sense. And yet it does. Chavez, although in power for almost 13 years, is still having considerable opposition against his rule. This comes as no surprise since he has been trying to establish a socialist republic all along. He is simply trying to deprive those citizens who played by the rules the means of defending themselves. Now private citizens will either be unarmed (a pretty dangerous thing in a country with such violence), or they will have to try to buy a firearm illegally. This will sadly put them into the category of being in “illegal” possession of a firearm and could mean that they too can be sent to jail or worse executed.
But it is becoming increasingly clear that Chavez wants to create a Communist state like Cuba. Banning firearms is just part of what plans he has for a Communist state. He also wants to make sure the public is disarmed enough so he can put even more people into prison for politically opposing him. Since he came to power he brought the legislature, the court system, and the police under his direct control. He is allowing no independent government or public agencies to function. Even the oil company that extracts Venezuela’s oil and natural gas wealth are under strict government control. Because of opposition to his plans, Chavez has not moved as quickly to communize Venezuela as Fidel Castro did to Cuba. But this is not stopping Chavez from trying. And taking away the people’s legal rights to buy and own firearms in the name of “fighting crime” is a way to take Venezuela that much further down the road to becoming a police state.
Slipping Deeper Into the Police State
By: Daniel Nardini
Actually, it is not. Last year, legal sales of guns was 25,000. However, there are an estimated 2 million guns, almost all illegally bought and sold, out there on the streets. The ban on legal gun sales will in fact do nothing to stop the illegal supply of guns to criminals or anyone who can get them. It simply means that ordinary citizens will be deprived of the legal measure of defending themselves. Looked at this way, it makes no sense. And yet it does. Chavez, although in power for almost 13 years, is still having considerable opposition against his rule. This comes as no surprise since he has been trying to establish a socialist republic all along. He is simply trying to deprive those citizens who played by the rules the means of defending themselves. Now private citizens will either be unarmed (a pretty dangerous thing in a country with such violence), or they will have to try to buy a firearm illegally. This will sadly put them into the category of being in “illegal” possession of a firearm and could mean that they too can be sent to jail or worse executed.
But it is becoming increasingly clear that Chavez wants to create a Communist state like Cuba. Banning firearms is just part of what plans he has for a Communist state. He also wants to make sure the public is disarmed enough so he can put even more people into prison for politically opposing him. Since he came to power he brought the legislature, the court system, and the police under his direct control. He is allowing no independent government or public agencies to function. Even the oil company that extracts Venezuela’s oil and natural gas wealth are under strict government control. Because of opposition to his plans, Chavez has not moved as quickly to communize Venezuela as Fidel Castro did to Cuba. But this is not stopping Chavez from trying. And taking away the people’s legal rights to buy and own firearms in the name of “fighting crime” is a way to take Venezuela that much further down the road to becoming a police state.