Internal enemy refers to individuals or groups within one country who are perceived as a threat to that country. The distinction between internal and external enemies is discussed in Plato's Republic.[1] Groups considered internal enemies by the countries in which they reside include Kurds in Turkey,[2] Palestinians in Israel,[3] Muslims in Western countries,[4] and political dissidents under Latin American dictators.[5]
In 2015, the Venezuelan National Guard published a procedural manual related to public order which included "guarimberos" as internal enemies of the State.[6][7][8]