Venezuela running out of gas would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. They've got the largest proven oil reserves in the world. More than Saudi Arabia.
This is yet another instance of misguided incentives causing systemic failure, much like famines that happen alongside modern farming in developed economies. Keep in mind that most people don't pay for gas in Venezuela, they just go to the pumps and fill up. Institutions handle the rest and those institutions never functioned well and have been breaking down for some time.