(Natural News) Truth be told, the socialist utopia of Venezuela really couldn't be any further from paradise. The authoritative regime in charge has been openly hostile towards the private sector for decades, leading to economic dislocation, empty shelves at the grocery stores and nationwide poverty. It has gotten so bad that many Venezuelans are resorting to digging through piles of trash in order to find something to eat. Crime rates in Venezuela are also through the roof, forcing people to live in fear alongside violent gangs that roam the streets. Given all of these problems, it would appear that it couldn't get any worse for the socialist country. Sadly, though, when big government is in control, things can always get worse.

Recently, hundreds of Venezuelans found themselves stranded in their cars in the middle of the streets as the country's gas stations ran out of their supply of gasoline. This was certainly a shock to many, as Venezuela, an OPEC nation, was believed to have the world's largest oil reserves. (RELATED: Thousands of people are currently trapped in Venezuela due to a passport shortage).

Of Venezuela's twenty-three states, eight of them have reported significant shortages in their supplies of gasoline – Miranda, Aragua, Lara, Barinas, Anzoategui, Nueva Esparta, Bolivar, and Monagas. Hundreds of cars in these states ran out of gas as they were waiting in seemingly endless lines to refill, significantly affecting the smooth flow of traffic.

Naturally, many residents expressed anger and frustration over the gasoline shortage. "I have been to four or five gas stations and it has been impossible to fill my car," Jose Torres of Caracas explained to reporters. Student Freddy Bautista added, "Yesterday, I went to three filling stations and I couldn't fill my tank. I've been waiting 30 minutes here, and it seems like I'll be able to fill up today."

Even though Venezuela's oil reserves consist of some 298 billion barrels, the thickness of the oil requires it to be extensively refined before being sold to consumers. The Venezuelan government is reliant upon foreign nations to do this refining.