Mob burns Venezuelan man alive over $5 as justice fails

[...] they had been robbed of cell phones, wallets and motorcycles over the years, and thought Bernal had a criminal’s face.

Vigilante violence against people accused of stealing has become commonplace in this crime-ridden country of 30 million, once one of the richest and safest in Latin America.

The public prosecutor opened 74 investigations into vigilante killings in the first four months of this year, compared with two all of last year.

[...] a majority of the country supports mob retribution as a form of self-protection, according to polling from the independent Venezuelan Violence Observatory.

The revenge attacks underscore how far Venezuela has fallen, with the lights flickering out daily, and food shortages fueling supermarket lines that snake around for blocks.

In the general haze of violence, Bernal’s killing didn’t stand out enough to make the front pages or provoke comment from local politicians.