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 Shortages of basic consumer products from milk to toilet paper
have worsened since a lull in distribution over the Christmas and
New Year holidays, prompting many to wait from the early hours on
foot - or in hammocks - before shops open.
The ubiquitous lines and frequent jostling for places when shop
doors finally open are an embarrassment and irritation to
Venezuelans across the political spectrum.
There have also been scattered protests and arrests.
"We are going to prohibit lines outside commercial establishments,"
Falcon state governor Stella Lugo said late on Tuesday. "Security
forces have been instructed."
She joined two other governors, in the states of Bolivar and
Yaracuy, who have announced the same measure in recent days.
 "Nighttime lines are dangerous for the people," said Bolivar
Governor Francisco Rangel.
In some places, officials are also limiting access to shops to
particular days according to Venezuelans' identity card numbers.
The shortages have hurt the popularity of President Nicolas Maduro,
which hit 22 percent in December, according to local pollster
Datanalisis.
Foes say 15 years of "Bolivarian socialism" under his rule and that
of his predecessor Hugo Chavez are to blame for Venezuela's economic
recession, the highest inflation in the Americas, and shortages.
But Maduro, 52, says a wealthy elite and opposition activists
encouraged by Washington and foreign media are seeking an "economic
coup" via hoarding and price-gouging.
"It's a strategy to try and upset the people and turn them to
extremes, to destabilize the country," Maduro told the Telesur TV
network late on Tuesday during a visit to Algeria.
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Maduro has been visiting China, Russia and other countries to seek
financing as well as action from the OPEC grouping on tumbling crude
prices which have exacerbated Venezuela's economic malaise.
In his absence, opposition leaders have been seeking to overcome
internal differences and forge a unified strategy against Maduro. On
Wednesday, key opposition figures called for peaceful mobilizations
in the coming days.
Violence at protests last year caused the deaths of 43 people,
including demonstrators, government supporters and security forces.
"This thing they called revolution is over ... This government and
this project are in a terminal phase," Henrique Capriles, a former
presidential candidate, told reporters.
Jailed protest leader Leopoldo Lopez, in a joint statement with two
fellow hardline opposition leaders, called for Maduro's resignation.
"Venezuela's problem is not $40 oil. It's the Maduro government's
corruption and incompetence and the unviable Cuban model they impose
on us," they said.
(Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Diego Ore and G Crosse)
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