May 4: 4,680

The number of murders in Venezuela for the year so far totals 4,680. That works itself out to about 39 murders per day. As grim as the number is, it signals a decrease in murders of about 30% from the number over the same period last year.

In Caracas, the first three days of May saw 36 murders, 9 of them this past Friday night alone.

On the scarcity front, the Ford Motor Company plant in Valencia, Carabobo state announced today that is was shutting down assembly at the plant for a period of 25 days due to a lack of raw materials.

According to the Venezuelan Automotive Chamber (CAVENEZ), the same Ford assembly plant put together 3,802 cars in the first three months of 2013, while during the same period this year it only managed to assemble 499 vehicles. The plant was already operating on a reduced schedule, opening its doors only three days a week due to scarcity problems.

Ford joins Toyota, who cancelled production in the country “indefinitely” back in February of this year, and Chrysler, who did the same in March.