35 supermarkets accused of hoarding food are held by the Venezuelan Government

AFP

Venezuela’s government yesterday occupied a supermarket chain accusing it of hoarding food to generate queues that, according to President Nicolas Maduro, are part of a plot to multiply discontent in the country.

The President of the National Assembly and second strongman of the government, Diosdado Cabello, formalized the temporary seizure of the entire distribution and trade chain Dia a Dia, a network of nearly 40 supermarkets with a presence in poor areas.

35 chain stores spread over six states in the oil country will be occupied . The company had not given any opinion so far.

Yesterday, the network stores had empty shelves and queues of buyers guarded by members of the military police and during the inspection some 2,500 tons of scarce commodities such as oil and cornmeal were counted.

The occupation of the market chain is given after authorities began over the weekend an administrative proceeding against Farmatodo, the largest drugstore chain in the country.