Long lines to fill up at the gas station. One last a memorable 12 days. Bolivares are not accepted when it comes to buying gasoline, instead, sellers demanding payment in US dollars, Colombian pesos or food. Humiliating rationing procedures, such as shorter lines for VIPs at the hands of the military.
That is the new normal for Venezuelan drivers, even though the country sits on the largest oil reserves known to man. Hardest hit are the states of Merida, Tachira, Trujillo, Zulia, which are borders to Colombia, also Bolívar, Anzoategui, Guarico, and Monagas.
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In order not to lose their spot in the long gasoline lines, Venezuelans have taken to sleep in their cars lined outside service stations.
Even motorcycle drivers, with their smaller tanks, are having troubles filling up, with the line in San Cristobal, Tachira state, being four days long at any of the town’s two gasoline stations.
In Bolivar state, right at the Orinoco oil belt, gasoline only arrives twice a week, and the station limits the number of liters per customer. Drivers only get to buy a limited amount of gasoline certain days of the week, determined by the last number in the license plate.
