Venezuelan citizens are in bad shape when it comes to feeling safe in their country, new research shows. In its annual assessment of perceived security, Gallup gave Venezuela the worst score in its history — 35 out of 100 — which is also the worst grade for any nation in more than a decade. The Law and Order Index rated 133 countries based on their respective citizens’ confidence in local law enforcement, sense of security and incidence of theft. The higher the score on the index, the higher the proportion of the population that says they feel safe, Gallup said.
“Gallup sees a strong relationship between people’s answers to these questions and the economic and social development of a country — reinforcing how high crime rates can suppress social cohesion and negatively affect economic performance,” the research firm stated.
The low score comes amid severe economic and political uncertainty in Venezuela, with citizens enduring shortages of food and basic household items, and multinational corporations leaving the country. “Just 14 percent of [Venezuela] residents said they felt safe walking alone at night where they live and an only slightly higher 19 percent expressed confidence in their police,” Gallup said. “Both percentages are not only new lows for Venezuela, but they are also the lowest scores Gallup has measured worldwide since 2005.”
