Down for the count

Don't bother to look for a line to stand in, Venezuela has closed for inventory (which shouldn't take long);

On Sunday, digital media outlet Aporrea critized President Nicolás Maduro over the “scandalous shortage” at the state-run supermarket in Caracas. The Gran Abasto Bicentenario de Plaza Venezuela itself even published photos of the empty shelves, despite the ban [Si, they have a law prohibiting photographs of empty shelves].

“The Bicentenario is empty today: no meat, no chicken, no nothing. President Maduro, we, the people, need to see things to support you; if not, we cannot do anything,” a customer told Aporrea.

Which is a pro-government media outlet.

Initially, Vice President for Food Security and Sovereignty Carlos Osorio said empty shelves at the beginning of the year are “normal.” Once word of the protests spread, however, the national government announced it would shut down its Abasto Bicentenario network of stores until January 10, to “check inventory.”

Regular customers of the Bicentenario, like Ana Acosta, were surprised to hear the news of the market’s closing: “No wonder there was no line to get in.”

Except at the airport for flights out of Venezuela.