Venezuela sinks deeper into hunger crisis as food looting continues
By Jasmine Cen
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‍While delegates from the Venezuelan government and the opposition have been looking for solutions to resolve the political turmoil and economic crisis, severe food crises continue on the country's streets. 
The Venezuelan government and the opposition resumed a fresh round of talks to bridge the gaps and resolve the political and economic crises that have torn the country apart after failure to reach an agreement in December.  But some opposition leaders and ministers shared low expectations for the talks.
Delegates from the Venezuelan government and opposition met in the Dominican Republic for a third round of talks on resolving the country's protracted crisis ahead of this year's presidential election on Jan. 12, 2018‍.  / VCG Photo

Delegates from the Venezuelan government and opposition met in the Dominican Republic for a third round of talks on resolving the country's protracted crisis ahead of this year's presidential election on Jan. 12, 2018‍.  / VCG Photo

“It seems to be in the air that we will not be able to advance,” said Juan Andres Mejia of the opposition party Popular Will, whose leader is under house arrest.
This is the third round of negotiations between Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro’s government and the opposition coalition, after the president threatened to ban the opposition from the upcoming presidential election.
Dominican President Danilo Medina, who wasn’t expected to participate in this round of talks, arrived to help regain the momentum.
The atmosphere was tense as the talks got under way.
The opposition threatened to “wait for them in the streets,” while the head of the government delegation, Communication Minister Jorge Rodriguez, accused the opposition of paying lip service and planning the “return to the strategy of violence.”
The opposition demands Maduro accept humanitarian assistance from abroad to ease a crisis that has led to shortages of food and basic goods, but Maduro wants recognition of the new legislative body, the Constituent Assembly, and removal of US sanctions.
“If we don’t get some concrete, credible results now, there's no point in continuing,” Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz wrote on Twitter.
Venezuelan migrants hold a sign reading "People of the Dominican Republic, thank you for receiving us," as delegates of President Nicolas Maduro's government and Venezuela's opposition coalition meet for a round of talks, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on January 12, 2018.  / VCG Photo

Venezuelan migrants hold a sign reading "People of the Dominican Republic, thank you for receiving us," as delegates of President Nicolas Maduro's government and Venezuela's opposition coalition meet for a round of talks, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on January 12, 2018.  / VCG Photo

Violence breaks out as food runs low

Four people were killed and 15 injured in violence linked to food looting on Friday, according to members of the opposition and the local press. 
Around 100 people have been arrested.
In the town of Arapuey in the west of Venezuela, looters have targeted shops and stores and clashed with soldiers, said Carlos Paparoni, an opposition lawmaker.
Looting and attempted looting has broken out in a number of towns and cities. A 19-year-old was shot dead in food truck looting, as many of the looters made off with bags of wheat flour or chickens, police said.
People look at the damage in a mini-market after it was looted in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela on January 9, 2018.  / VCG Photo

People look at the damage in a mini-market after it was looted in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela on January 9, 2018.  / VCG Photo

New US sanctions imposed

The US has imposed new sanctions on four serving or retired Venezuelan generals for rights abuses or corruption, bringing the total number of Venezuelan individuals under sanctions to 44 as 2018 begins.
The assets of those individuals have been frozen and US businesses are forbidden to work with them.
"President Maduro and his inner circle continue to put their own interests above those of the Venezuelan people,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, justifying the decision by US President Donald Trump and the State Department to label Maduro a "dictator."
US sanctions have put Maduro under pressure since he inaugurated a new legislative body, the Constituent Assembly, to work against the opposition-led National Assembly in August, while the country is also undergoing high inflation due to the decline of oil prices since 2014.
A customer pushes a shopping cart past an empty meat counter at a grocery store in Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. / VCG Photo

A customer pushes a shopping cart past an empty meat counter at a grocery store in Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. / VCG Photo

Venezuela’s economy has collapsed since then and its bolivar currency has almost lost its value. In addition, people are fighting with hunger, facing severe food shortages and in need of basic medical supplies. 
While many reports say the Venezuelan government has tried to cover up the mortality of children, the latest official report released by the Ministry of Health dates back to 2015. It shows the mortality rate for children under 4 weeks old increased from 0.02 percent in 2012 to just over 2 percent.
Independent UN Human Rights expert Alfred De Zayas, who visited Venezuela last November, said there is no humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
A customer reaches for bread on near empty shelves at a grocery store in Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. / VCG Photo

A customer reaches for bread on near empty shelves at a grocery store in Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. / VCG Photo

“What is important is to get to know the causes and take measures against contraband, monopolies, hoarding, corruption, manipulation of the currency and the distortions in the economy caused by an economic and financial war which includes sanctions and pressure,” De Zayas added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing in November that China-Venezuela financial cooperation was proceeding as normal. 
“We believe that Venezuela’s government and people have the ability to properly handle their debt issue,” Geng said.
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