CARACAS, Venezuela — The feared street gangster El Negrito sleeps with a pistol under his pillow and says he’s lost track of his murder count. A masked gangster who goes by the nickname “El Negrito” poses for a portrait with his gun inside his gang’s safe-house in the Petare slum of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 13, 2019. El Negrito said the ransom they set depends on what a victim’s car costs, and a deal can turn deadly if demands aren’t met. While explaining that he struggles to support his wife and young daughter, El Negrito passed a silver pistol between his hands. “A pistol used to cost one of these bills,” he said, crumbling up a 10 bolivar bill that can no longer be used to buy a single cigarette.

Source: Washington Post May 28, 2019 03:56 UTC