Ubuntu Package Manager: package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened

I found the solution in the first answer: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/update-manager/+question/66668

Summarized, the following commands solve this problem:

  sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/status
  sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status
  sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
  sudo dpkg --configure -a
  sudo aptitude update
  sudo aptitude upgrade
  sudo aptitude install -f