Fifteen autosomal markers (CSF1PO, TH01, TPOX, F13A01, FESFPS, VWA, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, D5S818, D3S1358, D8S1179, LPL, F13B and D1S80) were evaluated in the Central Region of Venezuela (States of Aragua, Carabobo and Cojedes) in order to test their usefulness in filial relationship studies. Allele frequencies for each marker, statistical parameters of forensic interest, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, loci independence, substructuration of our population and presence of null alleles and dropout were tested for each marker. Our population was compared with other Venezuelan populations (Caracas and Maracaibo) taking into account allele frequencies corresponding to 10 markers which have been typed in all these three populations. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.