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Venezuela’s Latest Cruelty Is Full Shelves of Unaffordable Goods

  • Government withdraws inspectors in unspoken policy change
  • Store shelves restocked with food after years of shortages
People queue to buy basic food and household items outside a supermarket in Caracas, on Sept. 28, 2016.

People queue to buy basic food and household items outside a supermarket in Caracas, on Sept. 28, 2016.

Photographer: Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images

Something strange has started to appear in Venezuelan grocery stores -- food.

After years of shortages of even the most basic items, shelves are once again heaving under the weight of imported goods such as Brazilian mayonnaise and margarine, or Colombian coffee and rice. This new-found abundance has come at a price though. Many shoppers can’t afford to buy the goods.