A menacing flyer sent to residents of a fishing village in Zulia, Venezuela, signaled a shift in the local criminal activity.
The threat was not aimed at merchants, shrimp farmers, and cattle breeders typically targeted by criminal groups in the region. This time, in the La Cañada de Urdaneta municipality, private schools were the target.
The message circulated in the town read, “Good afternoon to the mothers of La Cañada de Urdaneta. Do not send your children to school until we give the order. Otherwise, they’ll all be crying.”
An armed group called “LV Oro” posted the threat on social media. The message was straightforward: Parents would have to pay an extortion fee if they wanted their children to continue attending classes.
Venezuelan Extortion Gangs Exploiting Instagram to Amplify Threats
Several parents and student tutors, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation, informed InSight Crime that LV Oro requested $1 per student per month. According to teachers interviewed by InSight Crime, schools in the area typically have 200 to 300 students.
In 2023, the La Cañada municipality recorded the highest murder rate in Zulia state, with 69.7 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. This is nearly three times Venezuela’s national rate, as reported by InSight Crime’s 2023 homicide round-up. La Cañada also saw the highest number of hired assassinations in Zulia, ordered by armed gangs. Additionally, the municipality ranked third in the number of extortion cases in the state, according to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory (Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia – OVV)..
The paradox of a prosperous town attracting unwanted attention from criminal groups lies behind this surge in crime. according Fishing Village Facing Decline
La Cañada de Urdaneta, located on the outskirts of Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia, is known for its thriving agricultural, cattle farming, and large-scale fishing industries. The economic prosperity has made it a target for extortion gangs over the past two decades.
A According to official reports, the abundant shrimp industry – a manufacturing facility bordering Lake Maracaibo capable of exporting 90 tons of shrimp in a day – is the most affected sector by extortion.
A shrimp farm owner, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, told InSight Crime that extortion gangs demand a monthly payment to ensure peaceful operation and security of the farm.
In addition to demanding payments through phone calls, the gangs utilize social media to pressure victims in various industries by sharing their photos. Small producers, on average, paid between $200 and $500 per month. However, larger businesses and companies have been known to pay up to $2,000 a month, based on information from a local security researcher. Businesses refusing to pay extortion fees risk having their headquarters or offices targeted by these gangs. They may also face physical attacks, extending the threat to their families and employees. Amid the prevailing violence, this threat encompasses fishermen and others. for not following the requests of criminal groups.
In response, business owners – mainly in the shrimp industry – are now spending a lot of money on security to protect their businesses and employees. Some have even unofficially hired members of Venezuela’s National Guard and the police to address these armed groups, the same shrimp farmer told InSight Crime.
New Targets in a Ghost Town
Extortion has caused many of La Cañada’s businesses and cattle ranches to close, according to both the shrimp farmer and local security researcher who spoke to InSight Crime. Violence is also widespread. Some residents described the municipality as a ghost town, where, for example, locals leave their house unpainted to avoid attracting attention from extortion groups. targeted Those who do have money leave for other municipalities where they lead a parallel life. “They have two WhatsApp numbers. They don’t give out their [local] number. Their social media accounts are private,” a La Cañada resident, who also spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals, told InSight Crime. workers have been killed Faced with a decrease in commercial activity, the extortion mafias began to look for new targets. That is where schools entered the picture.
“No sector is spared these days. The gangs have everyone mapped. They know who has money. They’ve gone as far as targeting schools, their directors and owners, and even the parents,” said Jorge Govea Cabrera, a security expert in Zulia.
Of the 45 schools in La Cañada, four are private institutions that have felt the brunt of extortion threats. The children attending these schools tend to come from wealthier families, making them attractive targets.
“It’s been frustrating for us as parents. We are having to stand up for [institutions] that we thought were untouchable,” a parent whose child attends one of the extorted schools told InSight Crime.
A Hodgepodge of Criminal Gangs
La Cañada de Urdaneta is home to at least seven active gangs, according to interviews with local residents, researchers, and journalists, as well as reports in local press. It is not yet clear which of the groups is responsible for extorting schools.
One school representative told InSight Crime that a gang led by José Leonardo Atencio Coronado, also known as “JL La Burra,” was behind the threats. But the pamphlets distributed among parents and tutors was signed by LV Oro – a name previously unknown in the area.
“The person [behind the extortions] is keeping the municipality in a state of anxiety to make their presence felt. While others were charging extortion fees, this guy is now targeting schools and people do not want to leave their house,” said a representative of one of the affected schools.
Several other groups in the area also engage in criminal activity. That includes a gang called “El Yiyi,” named after recently
captured leader,
Guillermo Rafael Boscán Bracho, also known as “Yiyi.” Another gang, operated by Mauricio José Luzardo Rondón, is also active and was
to the murder of a councilman in August 2022.
In mid-2023, the rivalry between the two gangs boiled over when hitmen
two elderly men related to Luzaro Rondón inside their home. The team led by Atencio Coronado linked also works in La Cañada. Coronado is also believed to be the new head of the Meleán group,
The Shattered Mafia Behind Criminal Chaos in Zulia, Venezuela
as stated by murdered local media.
group, previously controlled by Antonio Jesús Meleán Vergel, also known as “Antonito,” was the main criminal force in this fishing village two decades ago. Antonito and his family were in charge of Zulia’s underworld from the 1980s. They were criminals, settling disputes among criminals and maintaining peace by enforcing mafia rules. In La Cañada, Los Meleán focused on kidnappings and stealing cars, rather than demanding money from small businesses. After Antonito’s death in 2008, the Meleán group became weaker and was forced out of La Cañada by Jhon Gregorio Wade León, also known as “Jhon Wade,” who used extreme violence against those who refused to pay extortion fees. Wade León was
The Meleán one of the 10 most-wanted criminals in Venezuela in 2018. He was also the subject of an Interpol red alert. He died in 2018 in a confrontation with authorities. After his death,
who had collaborated with the Meleán group attempted to take over and create their own organizations, leading to the current chaos. diplomatic An Absent State
In addition to criminal gangs, a lack of state presence in La Cañada has also contributed to the decline of local security and the emergence of extortion gangs.
Occasional state anti-crime efforts have not significantly disrupted criminal structures or reduced high crime rates. among The most recent operation occurred on February 20, when hitmen security officials targeted criminal gangs in the municipality in an effort to restore security in schools that were being extorted.
We have deployed a special force to ensure the safety of all these education centers,” a state security commander told
. However, residents informed InSight Crime that the situation has not changed.
“People report extortion and receive no response,” said security expert Govea Cabrera. “Citizens don’t feel they are being adequately protected.”
Residents of La Cañada believe their security problems are due to the limited presence of the state. With little hope for improvement, representatives of the affected schools have suggested holding talks with the gangs in the hope that they will stop extorting money, allowing their children to go back to classes. 260 A menacing flyer sent to residents of a fishing village in the state of Zulia, Venezuela, marked a turning point for the local criminal landscape. The warning was not directed […]
“We have deployed a special force to ensure the safety of each and every one of these education centers,” a state security commander told local media. But the dynamics have not changed, residents told InSight Crime.
“People report extortion and nothing happens,” said security expert Govea Cabrera. “Citizens don’t think they are receiving adequate protection.”
Residents of La Cañada believe their security problems result from the relative absence of the state. With little hope on the horizon, representatives of the affected schools have floated the idea of arranging talks with the gangs in the hope that they cease extortions and their children can resume classes.