Venezuela's Horrific Murder Rate

I did not know how bad it was-- worst in the world. What is bizarre is how this NYTimes article gives no explanation of who is killing who or why the murder rate is so high. There is nary a mention of typical causes for violence: drugs and gangs. No explanation except poverty, and a high rate of illegal firearms, which doesn't make sense to me. One wonders if this isn't some sort of propaganda-- you can well imagine right-wingers chortling over the high murder rate in Chavez's country-- and it's suspicious no cause is given, making me wonder if there is an outside influence to it all. Interestingly, by the favorite logic of the right, a high rate of guns should have kept the shootings down. Instead, we are forced to just vaguely blame this all on the failed policies of that socialist Hugo Chavez.