Road blocks and traffic stops are common in Caracas. Police and National Guardsmen set up roadblocks and examine cars as they slowly file by. If they choose you for inspection then you had better be prepared with the proper paperwork. Apparently they scrutinize everything and can give you a hard time. Caracas has been working for several years to weed out corruption in their police force but I hear that some still exists. If you are stopped at one of these stops then I hear a well placed bribe of about $15 will get you off. A friend told me last week that he was recently stopped but didn't have enough cash so the policeman rode with him to an ATM to get the money for the bribe.