June 28, 2006
Venezuela to implement arms control plan

(Prensa Latina) - "Venezuela Justice Minister Jessie Chacón announced the implementation of a national plan intended to control arms possession.

Experts from Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Sweden participating in the project's design have set basic rules for the national diagnostic in relation to the arms control.

Similarly, officials have conceived campaigns to raise public awareness, set strategies and prepare volunteer collaborators.

In 2005, there was a considerable reduction on the number of homicides and crimes with use of firearms in Venezuela. However, the phenomenon remains as a governmental priority due to its still high levels attributed to the unlimited and illegal possession of arms, the minister considered.

In addition, the executive plans the destruction of excess numbers of weapons found, various actions to encourage people's rejection towards the possession of arms and have warned on the need to generate legal mechanisms regulating arms possession".