Venezuelans Ransack Stores as Hunger Grips the Nation

New York Times ^ | JUNE 19, 2016 | NICHOLAS CASEY

[grundle]

A staggering 87 percent of Venezuelans say they do not have money to buy enough food, the most recent assessment of living standards by Simón Bolívar University found.

About 72 percent of monthly wages are being spent just to buy food, according to the Center for Documentation and Social Analysis, a research group associated with the Venezuelan Teachers Federation.

In April, it found that a family would need the equivalent of 16 minimum-wage salaries to properly feed itself.

Ask people in this city when the last time they ate a meal, and many will respond that it was not today.

Among them are Leidy Cordova, 37, and her five children — Abran, Deliannys, Eliannys, Milianny and Javier Luis — ages 1 to 11. On Thursday evening, the entire family had not eaten since lunchtime the day before, when Ms. Cordova made a soup by boiling chicken skin and fat that she had found for a cheap price at the butcher.

“My kids tell me they’re hungry,” Ms. Cordova said as her family looked on. “And all I can say to them is to grin and bear it.”

Other families have to choose who eats. Lucila Fonseca, 69, has lymphatic cancer, and her 45-year-old daughter, Vanessa Furtado, has a brain tumor. Despite also being ill, Ms. Furtado gives up the little food she has on many days so her mother does not skip meals.

“I used to be very fat, but no longer,” the daughter said. “We are dying as we live.”

Her mother added, “We are now living on Maduro’s diet: no food, no nothing.”

[Caipirabob]

Well, if it comes to that I hear democrats taste like chicken.

[dfwgator]

I’m really surprised at this point that the bus driver hasn’t been deposed by his own party.

[Calusa]

A Fewl!! It’s a Clouseau-ism.

You meant:

If you like your food, you can keep your food!!!

[Da Coyote]

Justice will not be served until those socialists die.

Horribly.

[CaptainK]

The event seared the memory of a future president, Hugo Chávez, who said the country’s inability to provide for its people, and the state’s repression of the uprising, were the reason Venezuela needed a socialist revolution. Now his successors find themselves in a similar bind — or maybe even worse.

MAYBE?

[WENDLE]

I have no mercy on these people. They allowed this to happen with the overthrow of their government. If we go in to Save their ignorant butts— WE GET THE OIL!!

[Scrambler Bob]

There is no such thing as a free lunch.
= = =

In old Chicago bars, there were free sandwiches, loaded with salt, to promote the purchase of more beer.

[Celtic Conservative]

That’s what I was getting at. Oil is great, but if you havent the ability or competence to get at it and market it you’re better off growing papayas. At least you can eat those.

CC

[Vision Thing]

Homobama must be so envious of the venezuelan government.

[onyx]

Government dependency.

[Fhios]

I guess this is what a SHTF scenario looks like.

[nothingnew]

Send "the Bern" down there...he'll fix it.

FMCDH(BITS)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Wicked games of favorites are obviously being played... much as in North Korea.

You’d think even the liberals of the Western world would point this out as Display A about How To Do It Wickedly Wrong.

Venezuela will need a revolution or to be conquered to see relief.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The ones who were most fervent about it will continue to be the favorites and WON’T die. Horribly or otherwise.

[familyop]

"Venezuela has some of the largest oil reserves on Earth."

A little over a third of all of the earthy oil that has been located and can be pumped--enough to provide the world with oil at the current rate of consumption for a little over 8 years. Except that oil will be increasingly more slowly produced and more expensive. ...something to think about for those who think.

[nothingnew]

In old Chicago bars, there were free sandwiches, loaded with salt, to promote the purchase of more beer.

What do you think pretzels were made for?

FMCDH(BITS)

[The Cuban]

Like the destruction of Cuba wasn’t enough

[farming pharmer]

Homobama must be so envious of the venezuelan government.

Yep..

[HiTech RedNeck]

Based on current knowledge, but the ability to locate oil has improved when economics have forced the issue.

Right now the Middle East is king of practical oil output. Russia may be close on its heels, though.

[brianr10]

Notice there’s no comment section for liberal excuse makers.