Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Latin America
Related: About this forumLong lines for milk and tampons are sinking Venezuela’s government
http://qz.com/330119/long-lines-for-milk-and-tampons-are-sinking-venezuelas-government/The lines have never been worse.
In Venezuela, theyve been around for years and begin in the wee hoursqueues at supermarkets and department stores for basic goods like toilet paper and rice.
But this month, the lines have become longer and the waiting times have increased. Peoples lives now revolve around standing in lines. They sleep on the streets to be the first in line to buy car batteries, laundry soap, tampons, and milk. They schedule their meals around being in line. Men and women of all ages now make their living by standing in line for others at 2am or earlier. They charge from $3 to $7 for each product they will buy on someones behalf.
Why so bad? Plunging oil prices only made inflation worse, and theres a lack of foreign currency, among other issues.
In terms of shortages, this is the worst Ive seen, says David Smilde, a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America, a US think tank that studies the region, in an interview from Caracas. And whats different this time around is that at this point the people that are most affected are the poor. In 16 years of chavismo, for the most part, poor peoples outlook improved. Now they are encountering a serious decline in their standards of living.
The situation has led to a rise in crime due to the exorbitant prices at which most goods are sold in the black market. The difference between official prices and market prices is currently more than 560%, according to a recent study. (Meat and poultry prices are well over 1,000% what they should be.)
Venezuelan president Maduro
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 678 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (1)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Long lines for milk and tampons are sinking Venezuela’s government (Original Post)
Bacchus4.0
Feb 2015
OP
The supermarket picture at the link shows a store that looks fully stocked with lots of other goods.
Fred Sanders
Feb 2015
#1
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)1. The supermarket picture at the link shows a store that looks fully stocked with lots of other goods.
And very patient shoppers.
Bacchus4.0
(6,837 posts)2. if anyone wants ketchup, there it is n/t
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)3. And bread and vegetables and butter and looks like the famous disappearing toilet paper, etc. Lots of stuff on the shelves.
Looks like about 25 patient and well fed people in line..the horror!
Bacchus4.0
(6,837 posts)4. looks like paper towels, you can use them if you have to I guess n/t