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Cuba's government has announced [that / what] it is starting the rationing of food and other basic [products / product] . Cuba's Commerce Minister, Betsy Diaz Velazquez, said beans, chicken, eggs, rice, [soapy / soap] and other goods would be [ration / rationed] . She said Cuba is facing a serious economic crisis. There are many [shortages / shortage] of food and other things in Cuba. Ms Velazquez said this was because the USA has [changes / changed] how it is [trading / traded] with Cuba. Velazquez said the U.S. trade embargo means it is very difficult for Cuba to buy a [lot / loads] of food. However, many economists say there is [a / the] bigger reason for the shortages - the cut in fuel aid from Venezuela. The crisis in Venezuela has led to a two-thirds cut in [ship / shipments] of cheap fuel to Cuba.

Cuba imports about two-thirds of its food from [another / other] countries. A lot of this used to come from the USA. Cuba [spending / spent] about $2 billion a year [on / in] importing food. The US embargo and the crisis in Venezuela means it is [difficulty / difficult] for Cuba to import food. The shelves of many stores and supermarkets are [emptied / empty] . Many people have to stand in [long / straight] lines when shops get a food delivery. The government has started rationing to stop people [hoarding / affording] food. If people buy too much of one thing and then hoard it, there is [more / less] food for others. One store in the capital city Havana [limited / stopped] people to just four packets of powdered milk, four packs of sausages and five packets of peas per person. One [shopping / shopper] said life was "tough".