18 life photos of poor Venezuelan families and the contents of their refrigerators

Venezuela has never been distinguished by a high standard of living and special well-being, but still, there used to be better times. Today the state is experiencing another severe crisis, traditionally accompanied by unemployment, high crime rates and sometimes even a lack of food!

Many people cannot afford even the most ordinary, familiar and inexpensive food. In order not to experience an excruciating hunger, they are forced to “clog” their stomachs with high-calorie, cheap food, consisting mainly of starch.

Photographer Carlos Garcia Rawlins from Reuters visited several families living in Caracas. He took their portraits and removed the contents of the refrigerators. These photographs show in the best possible way how difficult it is now for the majority of the inhabitants of the South American country.

Antonia Torres says: “In general, I have eaten less, but I have to eat a lot of things that I shouldn't eat at all.”

All the food that was in the house of Anthony and her family on April 22, 2016.

Ricardo Mendes with relatives: "We are a big family, and for us a constant problem is to feed ourselves."

All the food that was at Mendes’s house on April 23, 2016.

Yaneidi Guzman with his daughters. "Today, food has become a luxury. Previously, we could earn and spend money on clothes or something else, but now all the money goes only on food," the woman says.

All food in the Yaneidi Guzman house on April 22, 2016.

Douglas Sanchez says: "We eat very poorly, unbalanced. If we have lunch, we do not have lunch, if we have lunch, then we do not have breakfast."

All food in the house of Douglas and his family on April 23, 2016.

Uni Perez with his family, April 22, 2016.

All food in the house of Uni and his family.

Alida Gonzales (second from right) with family. "We used to spend money on breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today we can only afford breakfast - and that is not the best."

All food in Alida's house on April 15, 2016.

Mirella Rivero with her son Jose at her home in Caracas.

All food in the house of Mirella on April 15, 2016.

Victoria Mata (second from right) poses with her relatives. "We began to eat less, because it is almost impossible to find food. And when it suddenly appears, hellish queues line up for it and we can’t buy it. Now we eat twice a day instead of three. If, of course, we can."

All food in the house of Victoria and her family on April 21, 2016.

Francisco Landaeta (right) with her relatives. “Today we ate, but no one knows if it will be so tomorrow. It's terrible, I never thought that we would live like that,” says Francisco.