By Andrew Rosati
Last week’s massed ranks of shoppers outside Venezuela’s state-run supermarkets all but disappeared today after authorities blocked entry to most people.
Police turned away many shoppers under a new system that limited access based on the last number on people’s identity card. Venezuela’s Immigration service, SAIME, were also checking papers to confirm people had the documents showing their right to reside in the South American nation.
“An ID card to buy food?” said Jose Gomez, a 32-year-old electrician, after being turned away at Bicentenario food market in central Caracas. “I guess I’ll have to go hungry until Friday.”
Thousands lined up outside shops last week as a paucity of foreign currency deepened shortages of everything from sugar to shampoo, leaving shoppers scrambling to find consumer staples. The crisis led Interior Minister Carmen Melendez to deploy state security forces to ensure order.
To shorten the lines, President Nicolas Maduro‘s administration created check points at the entrances of government owned food stores that allow consumers to shop only twice a week, said Alejandro Milano, a coordinator of Venezuela’s Food Mission.
“The smuggling and long lines are over” said Milano, 37, who was overseeing security at the state-run Bicentenario store in central Caracas. “This is a much fairer system.”
Bron: Bloomberg