On the Brink of Mass Starvation in Venezuela, decades of Failed Policies Leave Venezuela at Risk
Venezuela was once an example of profitability on the South American continent. The high oil prices during the years of Hugo Chavez resulted in a healthy economy. Whatever the country could not produce, was easily imported from abroad. Today, oil revenues are barely enough to keep the government afloat.
Most Venezuelans live in urban areas. Its agricultural production has always been inadequate. Therefore, food imports was the only way to meet the nation’s dietary needs. Hugo Chavez promised to increase domestically produced food, but he failed. The situation worsened during his tenure.
Current president, Nicolas Maduro is holding on to power by a slim thread. Therefore, he refuses to implement the austere and immediate economic measures that offer the only hope of returning the country to a state of sustainability. He prefers instead to point the finger of blame elsewhere.
Food Scarcity Is Manipulated
Price controls and a number of other disincentives from the Chavez administration has 
resulted in a severe scarcity of food in the supermarkets and a healthy black market. Venezuelans must stand for hours in line just to purchase flour which is still being sold at government set prices.
Venezuelans who can are placing food orders from Colombia, which can be filled only with dollars. Unfortunately, only 13% of the population are in a position to do so, leaving the vast majority of Venezuelans scraping for whatever food they can find.
Long-term Impact on Health
With the scarcity of affordable food, Venezuelans are eating primarily carbohydrates, which is particularly dangerous for children and pregnant women. Already there have been deaths attributed to malnutrition. The country’s healthcare professionals are sounding the alarm, saying that mortality rates among pregnant women will be the highest it has been in 50 years. Malnutrition during pregnancy leads to the birth of newborns with weakened immune systems, organ failure, and other complications. Although the government refuses to release statistics, it is documented that a Caracas maternity ward saw 166 newborn deaths in the first half of 2016, a number almost twice what it was in the entire year of 2015.
So very sad to see this happening after such a profitable reign by Chavez. I do hope they get sorted out soon, as it’s not only the people that are starving, but the animals are too. Just so sad.
It’s astonishing that the government itself does nothing to help it’s citizen in such a crisis.
Venezuela is the latest example of a failed socialist regime.
So they have to get food from Colombia….? the ones who can? dang!
From this site lie about Venezuela . The picture that not in Venezuela ( see price cartels in another currency ) . Everything written here is false, as false as the picture.
I am very sad to hear about the food shortage in Venezuela. I hope that people get the help that they need.
It’s a crisis that the people of Venezuela lack the vital food that they need during their time of disaster. Hopefully it resolves soon.
It is absolutely disheartening to hear about whats going on in Venezuela :(. I do hope things get better for them real soon.
What is happening in Venezuela is a real humanitarian crisis.
All this is the result of a set of wrong policies of the State that have gone through expropriations and nationalizations, asphyxia of the economy through state policies of price regulation and exchange control.
When the oil was high no countercyclical mechanisms were established. There was money to import everything that was wanted for the country, but now that the oil is down, there aren’t money to import what is needed inside the country, and the internal productive apparatus has been totally dismantled.