

McDonald's have stopped selling the Big Macs in Venezuela because it making the iconic hamburger the latest casualty of crippling food shortages in the country.

The move was triggered by an economic crisis which has meant the fast food chain cannot source the thin slice of bread that separates the sandwich's two patties, according to local reports.

The company's restaurants are still serving their other menu items, although they also suspended sales of french fries for 11 months last year because of shortages.

The move was triggered by an economic crisis which has meant the fast food chain cannot source the thin slice of bread that separates the sandwich's two patties, according to local reports

In a statement, the company said: 'At McDonald's Venezuela we are working to resolve this temporary situation.

'Together with our supplier we are evaluating the best options to allow us to continue offering quality products.'

Venezuela's economy is mired in crisis because of the global plunge in the price of oil, its main export.

Long lines, chronic shortages, hyperinflation and violent crime have left President Nicolas Maduro fighting for his political life.

The opposition, which is pushing for a referendum to recall the unpopular leftist, blames the crisis on the failure of the socialist economic model of the past 17 years under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

McDonald's have stopped selling the Big Macs in Venezuela because it making the iconic hamburger the latest casualty of crippling food shortages in the country

The news comes three months after McDonald's said it was testing bigger and smaller versions of its Big Mac in the Central Ohio and Dallas areas.

Prototypes of the Grand Mac and the Mac Jr have been drawn up and send out to restaurants in order to gauge their popularity.