Yes,that's true...I was approached several times by hookers during both of my visits there.However,my experiences (too long to describe here) also indicate that it's *very* possible that they were,in fact,robbed at gunpoint.These accusations could just be a face saving scheme by a Forth World,"I'll Do Anything For A Dollar" politician or prosecutor.
My money's on armed robbery here.
You'd probably win that bet. I'm just trying to toss out something to salvage the situation. Watching this has been heartbreaking for me. I have people I call family (friends) down there, they were already suffering under their horrendous government corruption and collapsing economy, but after this it can only get worse.