Venezuelans staying the night outside stores for food

El Universal ^ | January 12, 2014 | Carrir, Abrer

[GeronL]

Monday January 12, 2015 01:40 PM

Last Friday, dozens of people spent the night in the surroundings of the Andrés Bello square (north Caracas) to buy food in an outdoor market organized by the Venezuelan Ministry of Food.

For taking home staples such as rice, pre-cooked corn flour, milk, oil, sugar, beef or chicken, people had to wait in line for at least twelve hours. Buyers had numbers written on their arms. With fear and anger, but with the need to buy food, they were waiting there since the day before. "No matter if I am very fond of this government, this is not fair," a consumer said waiting in a line, where she spent seventeen hours.

Aware of the situation, Vice-President of Food Security and Sovereignty Carlos Osorio urged people to keep calm. He said that lines in recent days in supermarkets and government-sponsored markets show that there is enough food to meet Venezuelans' demand. "Are people upset about making lines?" Of course they are! but how can we attend to 4,000 people simultaneously? There is no choice but to wait in lines. We are calling people to keep calm, for there is food for everyone," he said.

Further, the minister stated that there is over 600 tons of food in state-run marketing networks to meet demand. He pointed out that the situation will be revised in private supermarkets and grocery stores.

[GeronL]

Socialism causing food shortages, naturally.

[GeronL]

A woman in the line shows the number written on her arm (Gustavo Bandres)

[a fool in paradise]

Food? I thought this was the line for toilet paper!

NOW what am I gonna do?!!!

[GeronL]

http://www.eluniversal.com/opinion/150112/the-terrifying-reality

“The Terrifying Reality” op-ed in the El Universal

excerpt:

Seeing empty supermarkets and grocery stores, comrade, and getting an “out of stock” as usual reply when asking for essential goods cause nostalgia, anxiety, despair, and frustration among the citizens.

The same negative reply is heard in grocery stores, fruit shops, butcher’s shops, pharmacies, spare parts stores, tire shops, hardware stores, dry cleaners, bakeries, book stores, appliance stores, clothing and footwear stores, electronics stores, and any other stores where mass consumption products are sold. The “we do not have it” reply is also common in medical and dental practices, public and private hospitals, which are currently hit by lack of equipment, supplies, and specialized staff to properly take care of patients.

[Rome2000]

Someone call the Department of Happiness Director.

He will get it straightened out.

http://www.npr.org/2014/01/06/260119015/venezuelas-department-of-happiness-criticized

[GeronL]

and for those who might complain and curse their government....

“There are cells available in Romo Verde prison” - Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Arreaza said.

Venezuelan Vice-President Jorge Arreaza accused the opposition of trying to incite violence in the country. “The right wing is trying to set the country on fire.” Arreaza also stressed that “in Ramo Verde (military prison) there are still many cells available for those who dare to try to harm the peace of the Republic with political violence.”

“If you want to join that guy (detained dissenter Leopoldo López) in Ramo Verde, there is enough room there,” Arreaza said on Sunday during a government event.

[GeronL]

Well, the Minister for Feeding certainly hasn’t been doing a good job!

[Crazieman]

I think 152 can wait a few days for her food.

[GeronL]

lol

[GeronL]

She might have to.... have you seen the lines?

and if you tried to take a close up picture you could be arrested, also for taking pictures of empty shelves in the stores.

[okie01]

The same negative reply is heard in grocery stores, fruit shops, butcher’s shops, pharmacies, spare parts stores, tire shops, hardware stores, dry cleaners, bakeries, book stores, appliance stores, clothing and footwear stores, electronics stores, and any other stores where mass consumption products are sold. The “we do not have it” reply is also common in medical and dental practices, public and private hospitals, which are currently hit by lack of equipment, supplies, and specialized staff to properly take care of patients.

And this is exactly how socialism and central planning "works"...

[Crazieman]

Stop, I can hear democrats drooling

[GeronL]

How can a country run out of generic ibuprofen?

[GeronL]

even the Catholic Bishops blame this on socialism, hopefully they won’t be thrown in prison.

http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/150112/venezuelan-bishops-blame-marxist-socialism-for-the-crisis

[SpaceBar]

Venezuela is turning into North Korea right before our eyes.

[allendale]

Those that implement socialism are guilty of crimes against humanity. Maduro is getting in trouble because he is running out of the hard currency he needs to pay the goons and thugs that suppress the people.

[Tzimisce]

You voted for it Venezuela.

Enjoy it.

[GeronL]

It sure is!

[Seaplaner]

The immediate, yet durable effect of communism (or socialism/progressiveness) is that of shortages (often for very little in the way of goods or services).

Coming to a neighborhood near you, one suspects there that long waits will happen with long lines (and declined service) for inferior healthcare under Obamacare [sic].

[garjog]

All night food lines. Coming to a city near you.