Poll: Latin Amers feel least safe in world

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Venezuelans, more than people in any other Latin American country, fear for their safety where they live, a Gallup Poll released Friday found.

The findings, part of a survey conducted worldwide in 2011, found overall that 46 percent of the people living in 13 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean do not feel safe walking alone in their communities at night.

Venezuelans topped the regional list, with only 34 percent of them saying they felt safe. The South American country has one of the highest murder rates in the world with 67 murders for every 100,000 residents.

Gallup noted that Venezuela's low ranking put it on par with conflict-ridden countries such as Chad and Afghanistan, where only 30 percent and 29 percent of the populace, respectively, felt safe.

The current ranking for Venezuela is an improvement from its record low of 23 percent in 2009.

Topping the list of regions where people felt the safest were East Asia, Southeast Asia and North America. At least 75 percent of those people said they felt safe.

The poll interviewed about 1,000 adults in each of 148 countries by telephone and in person. The margin of error ranged from 3.5 percent to 4 percent, plus or minus.