In his village, he said, the rice crop had washed away, and people have had to paddle to a nearby village to buy basic goods, at far higher prices than normal.
But Maduro took power as oil prices began to plummet and since his election the country's citizens have faced severe shortages of basic goods, long lines at the supermarket and triple-digit inflation.
As a result, prices of basic goods have soared across the country, if they are available at all.
Now the urban poor cannot afford basic goods, and unemployment is at an all-time high.In April thousands of university students demonstrated for academic freedom on their campuses.
In January, according to a scarcity index compiled by the Central Bank of Venezuela, the difficulty of finding basic goods on store shelves was at its worst level since 2008.
At the same time, the cost of basic goods has soared.
Last week consumers at Wal-Mart discount stores bought more basic goods like household cleaners, underwear and medicine, the retailer said.
Unlike the charismatic Cházvez, who had near-absolute command over his party, doubts about Maduro's leadership have risen since he defeated opposition leader Henrique Capriles by a razor-thin margin in April's presidential election and as worsening shortages of basic goods and galloping inflation, now at 54%, have eroded popular support for his rule.
The move reflected the military's ability to supply at a low cost basic goods that were becoming increasingly expensive as a result of economic liberalization including the floating of the Egyptian pound.
Basic goods, such as pens and shoes, increased attendance at schools near the community centers by 30percentt.
