BBC: How videos of supermarket raids show what life is like in Venezuela

[MADem]

Every week at least one video showing people looting either a supermarket or a lorry full of food is shared online by Venezuelans. Some of them get thousands views of and some just a few hundred, but they are highlighting food shortages in the country.

Every week at least one video showing people looting either a supermarket or a lorry full of food is shared online by Venezuelans. Some of them get thousands views of and some just a few hundred, but they are highlighting food shortages in the country.
With a collapsing currency and the highest inflation rate in the world, shortages of basic products have become the norm in Venezuela over the last few years. The situation reached crisis point earlier this year when thousands posted pictures online of empty shelves - and now it seems to be getting even worse.
Videos like the one shown in the still image above are being shared on Whatsapp, YouTube or Facebook. Some of them are picked up by media opposed to the Venezuelan government or sent directly to anti-government sites. "Definitely, there has been an increase in these kind of videos," one of the people behind the anti-government website Dolar Today told BBC Trending. "Every week, we get between five and 10."
The problem is that it's very difficult to verify the origin, date and place of these videos. "Without a doubt, there is a chance that they might be false, or out of date. But the vast majority of the cases are real," said the Dolar Today spokesperson, who asked to remain anonymous for his own safety. "We are very careful not to publish things that are not real. Sometimes we speak to the person who sends us the video, but for others we don't think that's necessary."

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-33483653

[Bacchus4.0]

1. Incredible the violence and misery that chavismo has wrought on Venezuela nt

[MADem]

2. I feel so sorry for those people. I mean, come on, fighting over

arepa flour and toilet paper? The shelves are bare, the black market rules, no one can afford anything--it's just an awful situation.

[Marksman_91]

3. Yeah, but dontcha know? Those shortages are caused by CIA-paid hoarders!!!

It's so obvious it's them. Either that or they're intentionally retaining production because, well, OBVIOUSLY those private enterprises should be producing for free, you know?!

[MADem]

4. And the BBC lies! All those videos and images are staged, I tell ya--STAGED!

[Bacchus4.0]

5. A truck was sacked recently that was destined for the flood affected area

It just shows the level of desperation that people are experiencing under this inept administration