Venezuelans Protest Food Shortages

The march by a few hundred people, quickly halted by security officials firing tear gas, built on two months of near-daily demonstrations against leftist President Nicolas Maduro, who critics say has plunged oil-rich Venezuela into its worst economic crisis in history.

The protesters are demanding early presidential elections, freedom for jailed activists, and humanitarian aid to allow in scarce medicines and food.

Currency controls that crimp imports, as well as ailing local farms, have left many supermarket shelves empty.

A recent study by three universities revealed that about 93% of Venezuelans cannot afford to buy enough food while 73% of them have lost weight in the last year.

At least 64 people have been killed since the unrest began in early April, with the state prosecutor’s office on Saturday confirming another death.