19,133

This is the first time in months the public has gotten access to any kind of official-looking number.

19,133 people. Most of them – 81% – were men. Most of them – 80.7% – between the ages of 15 and 44. Most of them – 83.6% – poor. Most of them – 79% – shot to death. 

In Colombia, in the same year, there were 15,817 murders.

Colombia’s population is roughly 45 million. Venezuela’s is 26 million. So the 2009 per capita murder rates were roughly 35 people per 100,000 in Colombia, and 71 per 100,000 in Venezuela.

Any questions, Izarrita?