A video recorded in a supermarket in Venezuela, where supposedly "lower" prices on products like chicken, cheese, and meat can be seen, has gone viral on social media and sparked a wave of mixed reactions among those celebrating a potential economic relief and those denouncing it as an exaggeration or propaganda.
The clip was shared by journalist and open opponent of chavismo Eduardo Menoni (@eduardomenoni), who attributed the phenomenon to what he called the "Donald Trump Effect," stating that after "the glorious January 3rd" and U.S. intervention, the country would be starting to emerge from economic collapse.
"The prices of meat and some food products have started to fall in Venezuela... Venezuela is rising from the ashes left by the impoverishing and communist chavismo," Menoni wrote in the post.
In the video, several people can be heard walking through the aisles of the establishment and excitedly discussing the prices, as if it were an unimaginable scene just a few months ago.
"The dollar has dropped, brother... First world, brother... The llanero cheese is six forty-five. The hunger games are over," is heard in the recording, in a celebratory tone.
However, while some users celebrated the apparent drop in prices, others reacted with skepticism, claiming that the reality in their states is very different and that the crisis continues to hit just as hard, or even harder.
"Where is that? Because here in Guárico, nothing goes down in price; on the contrary, everything gets more expensive every day," commented Francisco Rojas.
Another Venezuelan user was even more direct: “I am Venezuelan, and for now, things continue to get significantly worse regarding prices and inflation. Not everything will change overnight as it is sometimes portrayed.”
The controversy intensified when several internet users began to question a key detail: while some prices may drop, wages remain miserable.
"The only thing that continues to kill us is the salaries," wrote Carmig, while others wondered if it is really possible to speak of well-being when the average Venezuelan has no purchasing power.
"So there's already a lot of work and they raised salaries to over 1 dollar?" the user WildVal joked.
Amid the debate, one question repeatedly surfaced like an uncomfortable shadow: if everything is improving so much, why isn't the supermarket bustling with shoppers?
What is behind the supposed "downturn"?
The debate takes place in a real context of currency movements in Venezuela. A report published by Telemundo 51 on January 19, 2026, explained that the dollar, which had reached a value of up to 850 bolívares in the parallel market after the events at the beginning of the year, had dropped to 415 bolívares following the announcement of an influx of foreign currency from the oil sector.
According to the report, the president in charge, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that the resources obtained from oil sales under agreements with the United States would be channeled through the Central Bank of Venezuela to private banking and the foreign exchange market, as part of an effort for economic stabilization.
On the street, some vendors confirmed that certain products have decreased in price, although not uniformly. Víctor Fernández stated that in his case the price of meat did drop, but other items like sweets continued to rise.
This disparity seems to reflect what is expressed in social media comments: while some see a sign of relief, others feel that the "change" is not reaching their pockets.
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