'We want out of this agony': What it's like to eat in a country that's on the verge of collapse

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venezuela

REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

An opposition supporter holds up a giant 100-Bolivar note with the word, "Hungry" written on it during a gathering to protest against the government of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, and economic insecurity, and shortages, in Caracas August 8, 2015.

Despite breathless coverage of Venezuela's vanishing supply of condoms, toilet paper, and beer, perhaps the country's most debilitating shortage has been that of food, which appears to a motivating factor for growing anti-government sentiment.

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"I want the recall because I don't have food," one woman told Venezuelan commentary site Contrapunto, referring to a referendum to recall President Nicolas Maduro that has so far reportedly drawn more than a million signatures in support.

"We want out of this agony, there is too much need in the streets," another woman told Contrapunto. "We have much pressure because there is not food and every day we have to ask ourselves what we are going to eat."

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