Venezuela's government has come up with a plan to end the country's shortage of toilet paper. There was a danger that shops would have no toilet paper to sell. Even though Venezuela is rich in oil, it has difficulty in paying for things from other countries. This is because of controls on the Venezuelan currency. The government has decided to spend $79 million on buying 39 million rolls of toilet paper to make sure people do not run out. The money will also be used to buy toothpaste and soap. People around the country have to wait in long lines at supermarkets and pharmacies to buy basic things, sometimes for days. They then buy all they can, which means stores run out quickly.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said the shortage of toilet paper was because of rich people and those who are unhappy with the government. He did not say why these people's actions meant the country almost ran out of basic supplies. Economists say the way the government runs the economy led to the shortages. The government keeps prices low for many goods, which means Venezuelan companies find it hard to produce things and make a profit. The price controls also push up inflation because when there is a shortage of something, people will pay a higher price to get it. Venezuela has the highest rate of inflation in Latin America. The current rate is about 25 per cent.