Violence continues in Venezuela as armed squad kills 11
As the country struggles with an economic crisis, recent gun attacks saw three minors, one Colombian national killed outside their houses.
Opposition supporters and students cross a barricade during clashes over election results in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 15, 2013.
After armed men had killed 11 people in Trujillo, Venezuela Saturday morning, mental health experts stated pervasive violence in the country will be "difficult to reverse."
According to the attorney general's office, the attackers forced the victims out of their houses and into the courtyards where they were killed. The suspects fled the site in cars and on motorbikes.
The victims, including three minors, ranged from 15 to 76 years of age. One of the men killed was 76-year-old Colombian national Alberto Diaz Patino.
No information has been released about the motive behind the murders. Two prosecutors have been assigned to the case.
The South American country is struggling with a severe economic crisis along with unprecedented levels of violence even though it is not in a state of war.
A protester holds a placard which reads, "Venezuela humanitarian crisis, SOS" at a rally held to demand an increase in university funding and to protest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela, May 26, 2016/Reuters
Prosecutors recorded 58 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2015. In its report for 2014, Venezuelan Observatory of Violence recorded 24,980 violent deaths, BBC reported; this translates to 82 murders per 100,000 people. The government, however, does not agree with these figures.
Psychiatrist Dr Wadalberto Rodriguez said in an interview published on the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence website on Monday the violence in the country will "take several generations to resolve." He said something as simple as prescribing medicines to those who are in need is not effective as those medications are not available in the markets.
The country which is facing an economic crisis with high inflation rates and depleting dollar reserves is unable to import many products, even food.
On Sunday, German airline Lufthansa said it was suspending its three weekly flights to Venezuelan capital Caracas due to growing concerns about country's worsening economy.
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