(cont'd from yesterday's post)
Sometimes it's not only food she hunts for, but also internet access.
It's not safe to bring stacks of currency to pay bills (it takes "stacks" because inflation is spiraling). Bulky cash would be unsafe anywhere, but especially in the nation with the third-highest murder rate in the world.
That factor gives farmers markets an advantage beyond the fresh produce because the farmers accept credit cards. After picking out her foods, she gets in line to pay - then it starts raining.
"This is a problem. The Internet system that links the debit-card scanner to the banking sector crashes. Years of under-investment have compromised the system’s reliability. A half-hour goes by. There are now 30 of us waiting to pay. Some start grumbling about: the checkout clerk (she’s lazy), the banks (they’re awful), and the country overall (this place is just one endless line). A couple of elderly men give up. They put down their grocery bags and walk off. A few minutes later, I join them."
It's not easy doing the daily basics in Venezuela these days.
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