Venzuelans loot food warehouse in Chavez hometown

[Bacchus39]

CARACAS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Looters sacked a state-run supermarket's food warehouse in the hometown of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an official said on Thursday, as the government sought to end shortages of staples such as milk.

The attack occurred on Wednesday at a warehouse belonging to the subsidized Mercal supermarket chain in Sabaneta, where the socialist president was born and grew up.

Chavez's brother Anibal is mayor of the town of 25,000 people located in an agricultural region in western Venezuela.

"They broke in violently and demanded milk," said Helena Angulo who heads the town council. "They took everything."

Venezuelans have formed long lines in recent months for basic foods. Some products such as milk are almost entirely absent from the shelves at times.

Chavez lost a referendum on extending his powers in December partly because of voter anger at the food shortages. The government has since launched measures to address the problem but it is unclear how much they have increased the availability of products.

Critics blame the shortages on government price controls and red tape. Chavez blames hoarding by traders and rapidly increasing demand as his social policies put more money on the streets.

Last week Chavez announced a $500 million fund to promote milk production and threatened to expropriate dairy plants belonging to Switzerland's Nestle (NESN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) and Italy's Parmalat (PLT.MI: Quote, Profile, Research). (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Xavier Briand)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN1445662020080214