Richard Blanco, an opposition legislator and deputy president of opposition Alianza Bravo Pueblo party, stressed that the number of violent deaths in Venezuela has skyrocketed by 483% since Chavezism took office in 1998.

He claimed that high crime rates have been recorded even though Chavezism has implemented 22 different security plans and changed the minister of the interior and justice 12 times.

The politician explained that some 4,000-5,000 people died annually in the country as a result of violence at the time Chavezism took office. He underlined that "today, the number of homicides in the country stands at some 25,000 annually. This is evidence that the regime has failed blatantly in terms of citizens' protection."

Blanco warned that with the concept of the so-called "new man," the government has empowered the Bolivarian circles and some groups known as "colectivos," "which use badges and firearms to break the law."