Source: AFP, Reuters, via El Universal

Protests have exploded across Venezuela against the murder of the three young Faddoul brothers, and against all crime, much of which is committed by the Venezuelan police.

The three Faddoul brothers, John Bryan, 17; Kevin 13, and Jason, 12.

The anger is cutting across class lines, because kidnapping, robbery and murder affect rich and poor alike. This is the first event ever that’s united rich and poor in Venezuela. The shantytowns of Caracas are some of the most dangerous places on earth. The wealthy and middle class, meanwhile, are regular targets of opportunity for the same thieves and extorters and kidnappers and killers.

It’s mostly cops doing it, the very officials who are supposed to protect the people. The cops, to remind the people that they don’t see protecting them as in their interest, have actually shot into a protesting crowd and killed a photographer, completely validating the crowd’s anger at the police.

This anger at kidnap and murder resonates with the whole country because it’s largely a story that every citizen has experienced.

Source: AP, via Yahoo!

When I was in Caracas a few months ago, it’s all anyone talked about, Chavista and nonChavista alike. Everyone was terrified of the crime, constantly warning me to not take one step outside at night, not to trust banks, not to trust ATM transactions, not to carry cash, not to ride in unlicensed cabs, not to change money, not to trust cops, not to wear a nice watch, not to talk to people I didn’t know. It was that bad. In Venezuela met TWO people who’d been kidnapped … in two weeks. Prior to that, I hadn’t met anyone who’d been kidnapped – not ever. I rode a bulletproof car. Everything revolves around security questions. This is a story everyone knows.

In the Venezuelan provinces, Daniel writes that the sorrow on the streets is “palpable” – and the roadblocks and protests are everywhere. He said people were crying at his workplace. This murder has affected the entire nation. Daniel calls it “a country in shock.”

Read Daniel’s riveting eyewitness account of what it’s like inside Venezuela right now here.

Venezuela Today has the photo of the cop who shot into the crowd that was protesting kidnapping and murder by police. It was the last photograph the photographer who was killed by this cop took. It’s a must see here.

UPDATE: Breaking – a firebomb was hurled into a university demonstration at UCAB just now. My correspondent in Caracas writes:

En la UCAB lanzan bomba incendiaria debajo de un carro. La hipotesis es que querian distraer para robar el banco que alli esta. Oido en Globovision. Justo luego de la manifestacion de ayer… No olvidemos que fueron los ucabistas los primero en manifestar…

Globovision may have some reporting soon here. Their Web site also reports that the new Cardinal is issuing urgent appeals for calm.

UPDATE: El Universal is reporting that the whole city is now shut down by roadblocks and anguished protests.

UPDATE: Jorge Arena at Devil’s Excrement notes that Chavez is missing, as he often is during real crises. Read it here.

UPDATE: El Universal reports that the OAS is weighing in, urging that the perpetrators be caught and the issue not be politicized. Link is here.

UPDATE: The Real Cuba has many more photos of the protests here.