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The Empty Cupboards of Venezuela’s Families (19 photos)

As reported last week here in the Atlantic, Venezuela is falling apart. Over the past two years, triple-digit inflation, massive shortages, rising crime rates, and failing public services have left many in desperate situations.  Reuters photographer Carlos Garcia Rawlins visited hard-hit families in Caracas, to listen to their stories and see how little food they had on hand. Rawlins: “The combination of Venezuela’s sky-rocketing prices and chronic product shortages have left many struggling to put regular food on their tables and maintain a balanced diet… poorer families say they are sometimes skipping meals and relying more on starch foods. According to one recent study, 87 percent of Venezuelans say their income is now insufficient to purchase their food needs.”