In Venezuela, Armed Groups Find Opportunity in Calamity

Tension is rising between Venezuelan security forces and the pro-government patronage networks known as colectivos. Despite being highly disorganized, the colectivos have managed to take advantage of the ruling party's fragmentation and its weakened grip on power, bringing anarchy to the streets of Caracas. If the Venezuelan government does not move quickly to disarm the groups, it will risk losing more control of the neighborhoods in which they operate. Given enough time, the colectivos could even evolve into organized crime groups -- a threat that would be even more difficult to eradicate....