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Photos: Venezuela’s nationwide blackout enters its fifth day

A panoramic view of Caracas, Venezuela on March 10, during an ongoing blackout.
A panoramic view of Caracas, Venezuela on March 10, during an ongoing blackout.
Image: Rayner Pena/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
By
Johnny Simon
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A days-long, nation-spanning power outage has compounded Venezuela’s dire humanitarian conditions. The outage began on Thursday (March 7) and as of today (March 11) is still underway, with little hope in sight for an immediate solution.

Reuters reported that as of Sunday the vast majority of the country’s nearly 1,800 gas stations were out of commission, leading Venezuelans to endure massive queues for gasoline at the roughly 100 that were up and running.

Meanwhile, without dependable refrigeration, food has begun to spoil both in people’s homes and in stores. This has led groups to ransack stores in a search for food, resulting in mass arrests by security forces.

Disputed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who has been fighting off a challenge by opposition leader Juan Guaidó since January, has without evidence blamed the blackout on a foreign cyber attack. Experts, however, believe the blackout is a glaring symptom of “years of underinvestment, corruption, and brain drain,” the New York Times reported.

Photos from the past few days show how the already desperate situation in Venezuela has worsened.

A panoramic view of Caracas, Venezuela on March 10, during an ongoing blackout.
A panoramic view of Caracas, Venezuela on March 10, during an ongoing blackout.
Image: Rayner Pena/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
Venezuela gas lines
Vehicles wait in line to refuel in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Rayner Pena/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
Relatives of a patient walk in the darkened hall of a health clinic during a power outage in Caracas, on March 7.
Relatives of a patient walk in the darkened hall of a health clinic during a power outage in Caracas, on March 7.
Image: AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos
A time lapse photo of one of the main roads in Caracas during the second day of a blackout, on March 9.
A time lapse photo of one of the main roads in Caracas during the second day of a blackout, on March 9.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Jasso
An injured man sits on the street after being detained while looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
An injured man sits on the street after being detained while looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Detainees lie on the street after police responded to looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Detainees lie on the street after police responded to looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
People detained by security forces after looting broke out on March 10.
People detained by security forces after looting broke out on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Ivan Alvarado
A man is detained by security forces on March 10.
A man is detained by security forces on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Ivan Alvarado
Detainees get on a truck after they were caught looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Detainees get on a truck after they were caught looting during an ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
People rest at their house during a blackout in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela on March 9.
People rest at their house during a blackout in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela on March 9.
Image: Reuters/William Urdaneta
A single illuminated unit in a building on March 9, in Caracas.
A single illuminated unit in a building on March 9, in Caracas.
Image: Reuters/Marco Bello
A woman is detained by security forces on March 10.
A woman is detained by security forces on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Ivan Alvarado
People collect water from a stream in the Avila National Park in Caracas during rolling blackouts, which affects the water pumps in people’s homes and apartment buildings, on March 10.
People collect water from a stream in the Avila National Park in Caracas during rolling blackouts, which affects the water pumps in people’s homes and apartment buildings, on March 10.
Image: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo
Motorists stop on a side of a highway in Caracas, in an effort to find cellular service on March 9.
Motorists stop on a side of a highway in Caracas, in an effort to find cellular service on March 9.
Image: Reuters/Marco Bello
People line up to charge their phones on a public solar panel-powered charging station at a public square in Caracas on March 10.
People line up to charge their phones on a public solar panel-powered charging station at a public square in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Protestors block a street to show their anger during the ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Protestors block a street to show their anger during the ongoing blackout in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Jasso
People in line to refuel their vehicles in Caracas on March 8.
People in line to refuel their vehicles in Caracas on March 8.
Image: Raul Martinez/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
People queue for fuel at a Caracas gas station on March 10.
People queue for fuel at a Caracas gas station on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Jasso
An extended queue for fuel at a gas station in Caracas on March 10.
An extended queue for fuel at a gas station in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Jasso
A damaged supermarket in Caracas after it was looted, shown on March 10.
A damaged supermarket in Caracas after it was looted, shown on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Supermarket shelves after the store was looted in Caracas on March 10.
Supermarket shelves after the store was looted in Caracas on March 10.
Image: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
People queue to try to buy potable water in Puerto Ordaz on March 10.
People queue to try to buy potable water in Puerto Ordaz on March 10.
Image: Reuters/William Urdaneta