Trump claims Venezuela's Caracas is safer than many U.S. Cities; is it so?

Former President Donald Trump recently suggested that American news anchors join him in moving to Caracas, Venezuela, claiming it would be safer than staying in many cities in the United States. The remarks, made during a Newsmax interview, have sparked controversy and raised questions about their accuracy.

In the interview, Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of "destroying our country" by allowing "criminals to come in from other countries into the United States of America." He then invited the anchors to join him on a trip to Venezuela's capital, saying, "Someday the three of us will have to go [to Caracas]—let's bring your husband with us also—and we'll go to Caracas because it will be safer than any place in our country."

This isn't the first time Trump has mentioned Caracas in such a context. On August 5, during a conversation with live-streamer Adin Ross, he claimed, "If you look at Caracas, it was known for being a very dangerous city and now it's very safe. In fact, the next interview we do, we'll do it in Caracas, Venezuela, because it's safer than many of our cities."

However, Trump's assertion doesn't hold up to scrutiny. While Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro might appreciate the positive attention, his regime has not released official crime statistics for years, making it difficult to verify Trump's claims. The Miami Herald conducted its own investigation into the matter and found Trump's statements misleading.

According to data from the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, a respected non-profit organization that tracks crime in Venezuela, Caracas had a homicide rate of 50.8 per 100,000 people in 2022. This figure is indeed lower than the homicide rates in two U.S. cities—New Orleans (58.4 per 100,000) and St. Louis (57.2 per 100,000)—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, the comparison is misleading, as Caracas remains far more dangerous than most American cities.

For instance, other Venezuelan cities, such as El Callao, Sinfontes, and Roscio, have homicide rates that dwarf those in the U.S., with El Callao reaching a staggering 424 violent deaths per 100,000 people. By contrast, major American cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and New York have much lower homicide rates, ranging from 7.3 to 9.7 per 100,000.

While the observatory did note a slight decrease in violent deaths in Caracas last year, this was attributed in part to the emigration of 7.7 million Venezuelans, including an unknown number of criminals. Despite this, many Venezuelans who have fled the country remain skeptical of Trump's rosy depiction of the capital.

German Muñoz, a Venezuelan journalist who relocated to Texas due to the violence in Caracas, challenged Trump to visit the city himself. "Go see for yourself," Muñoz said. "Maybe the overall crime rates have gone down because both good people and bad people have left, but saying that Caracas is safe is just a big lie. The regime controls all the powers, and a corrupt country will never be safe."

The U.S. State Department has maintained a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory for Venezuela since January 2023, citing high crime, civil unrest, and the risk of kidnappings or ill-treatment by local authorities. Muñoz added, "I would definitely not take my family any time soon."

Trump's comments may resonate with his base, but they starkly contrast with the reality faced by those who know Caracas all too well.