Traffic standstill as people dash to grab the birds out of their containers

Socialist-run South American country is in the grip of a severe food crisis

A shocking video lays bare the severe food crisis confronting Venezuela.

Food shortages in the South American country has meant people have resorted to desperate attempts to source their next meal.

In disturbing footage, a huge crowd of people can be seen stopping a lorry on the motorway to snatch live chickens from their crates inside.

This disturbing footage shows a huge crowd of people stopping a lorry on the motorway to snatch live chickens from their crates inside

Traffic comes to a standstill as dozens of hungry people sprint over to the truck to grab the birds out of their containers.

The incident has been held up as yet another example of the country's economic crisis, where looting has become commonplace.

It happened in the northern city of Tocuyito, T13 reported.

There have been calls for President Nicolas Maduro, a socialist, to step down because of the shortages.

Earlier this month he was chased through the streets of Caracas after hoards of angry protesters banging pots and pans shouted 'we are hungry, we are hungry.'

The opposition governor of Venezuela's second-largest state, Henrique Capriles, declared an food emergency last month, blaming the socialists' 'misguided' policies.

'We are declaring a food emergency in our state,' said Capriles, the governor of Miranda state, who is leading a campaign to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office in a recall referendum.

President Nicolas Maduro (centre) has faced calls to step down. He is seen here meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (right)

Capriles and his center-right opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), blame the leftist president for an economic crisis that is causing severe shortages of food and medicine in Venezuela.

Oil-rich Venezuela has veered into crisis as crude prices have collapsed since mid-2014, threatening Maduro and 17 years of socialist rule.