Nicolas Maduro presides over an unraveling economy marked by empty shop shelves, food riots, malnutrition and unrest. He's losing backers, but still has the military on his side.
Truckloads of smuggled goods get waved into Venezuela at the Colombian border. But the crossing is closed to ordinary Venezuelans hoping to enter Colombia to buy desperately needed food and medicine.
This crusty bread likely originated with French immigrants of centuries past, but it's become deeply entwined with Chilean identity, diet ... even language. Yet most people don't make it at home.
There are two Venezuelas. In one, mothers have no milk for their children. In the other, you can get milky cappuccinos. The country's severe economic problems have worsened inequality.
Mexico's teachers union blocked roads into Oaxaca state to protest the government's demand that teachers take qualifying exams. The prolonged strike and roadblocks have led to food and gas shortages.
An emaciated mother breastfeeds her toddler past weaning time, for lack of food. Women bear the brunt of coping with the economic misery after a decade and a half of socialist rule.
The South American country is experiencing widespread shortages of food and medicine, along with rolling power blackouts. All of which have sparked rioting and large anti-government protests.
Every week seems to bring unwelcome news in the run-up to the Olympics. This week, dismembered body parts washed up on a Rio beach. But how bad are things, really?