Although extremely active during the months leading up to the presidential election in May, the National Price Stabilization Institute (INESPRE) has all but stopped its operations. El Caribe newspaper points out that the subsidized rice sales were discontinued on 15 May, one day before the election, and have not been resumed. Previously, INESPRE outlets also sold meat, milk and farm produce at subsidized prices. A resident of one Herrera INESPRE location told the newspaper reporter: ?Those people only sold during the days of the election.?
Worse yet, the man pointed out that containers full of potatoes, onions, vegetables and other food products had been left to rot inside the installations that were abandoned after it was known that President Mejia would not be re-elected for another term.