Over 1 Million Cases Solved in 2011 by Venezuela’s Attorney General

In 2011 Venezuela’s Office of the Attorney General solved 1,015,767 cases and received 807,811 new cases, said Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz on Wednesday. “For the first time ever, the number of cases solved exceeded the cases received,” confirmed Ortega Díaz during a televised interview.

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In 2011 Venezuela’s Office of the Attorney General solved 1,015,767 cases and received 807,811 new cases, said Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz on Wednesday. For the first time ever, the number of cases solved exceeded the cases received,” confirmed Ortega Díaz during a televised interview.

The attorney said that the number of cases that entered her office last year were mainly complaints, lawsuits and crimes committed when the perpetrator is caught in the act. “Previously we had more cases entering than were solved, which would create a backlog,” she said.

This year 1.5 million cases are expected to be solved, Ortega Díaz stated, “as part of the measures that the Attorney’s Office has been implementing”.

Clearing the Backlog in the Judicial System

Attorney General Ortega Díaz further explained that, because the country’s demographic growth has necessitated fast and efficient ways to solve minor crimes, several municipal offices of the attorney general have been created in states throughout Venezuela.

“As justice is one of the most important social services, it is necessary to adapt the judicial system to that demographic growth,” she said. Additionally, Ortega Díaz highlighted the need to fight “the serious congestion throughout the judicial system”.

The Office of the Attorney General now has 14 municipal offices throughout the country designed to “solve cases of crimes with minor sentences”. Among their duties will be assisting cases related to crimes with sentences of less than three years.

Ortega Díaz also said that her office “is proposing that the municipal offices deal with crimes whose maximum sentence does not exceed eight years” and for minor crimes including robberies and measures that “do not imply arrest, but punishment oriented toward community service”.

Edited by Venezuelanalysis.com