BTC is helping out Cubans and Venezuelans

[Hispo]

....

-snip-

There is something about Russia I am yet to understand. They are already a big country with many natural resources and have another powerful country as ally (China), what is the reason of its imperialist in the XXI century?

Also, there are some theorical differences between Soviet socialism and Western socialism. They are people who even talk about "tropical socialism" in order to separate models from the old Soviet system.

Naturally, there is also a so-called XXI century socialist project conceived/supported by Hugo Chavez.

I’ve always wondered ways that people believed people cryptocurrency can be of help to countries like this that are in poverty, and the only thing I can figure out is that it can only assist them in ways of transactions. Apart from being used for transaction, I don’t really see any other means.

So, people in Cuban or Venezuela that have families in the EU and US or any part of the world can now be able to receive money from their families abroad easily without having any hindrances at all. So, it is so good that they have such a technology at their reach. Why most of them will prefer Bitcoin as a means of transaction is the fact that the fees they will have to pay for it is cheap and also it takes just few minutes for you to send and receive it, unlike banks where you will have to wait for days before the money will arrive.

It is not just about a mean of exchange o transfer of value.

Bitcoin and other crypto-assets have properties that make us able to re-gain control of our money within authoritarian systems.
Here in Venezuela we do not have access to credits cards in (USD), using paypal can be difficult without a contact abroad who lends a card so we can use Bitcoin to buy on internet, it also help us to keep our money concealed and away from crooks.

It is of common knowledge here that military/employees always try to steal money and gold out of people escaping the country through airports even luggage, Bitcoin also helps with that.

Not even mention the help against inflation and the fact many people can survive by learning to trade a bit or through odd jobs on internet paid in crypto.

So you can see, it helps.

[bekti3]

I agree that cryptocurrency for your countries is a chance to potentially change your life. But you need to understand that even though the general trend of bitcoin in recent years is the growth of its price, it also has drawdowns .. And in general it is a purely speculative instrument. This must be remembered and must be taken into account. I am sure that with the right approach, many people will be able, even if not to become millionaires, but to raise their standard of living!

this is one of the things that must be emphasized and realized by everyone, especially those who are here.
sometimes a lot of people especially beginners think btc is a shortcut to get rich but on the other hand thinking like this is a big mistake and it is not recommended to think like this.
crypto especially btc is a technology that is speculative and you can't see it in terms of profit only because if you take the wrong action, you may lose.
this is probably what everyone should apply

[YOSHIE]

These really ARE excellent use-cases in which BTC is helping to add value to the lives of those under oppression.  This is clearly a good thing.

After I saw the title of the topic, I remember very well these two countries (Cuba and Venezuela), they were the richest and prosperous countries at that time, before both countries were poor as they are today, before the two countries were poor as they are today, Cuba was known for the classic luxury of living and Venezuela the world's largest oil resource.

Honestly, I feel sympathy for the two countries with the current conditions, I hope that in the future, especially from an economic point of view, the presence of Bitcoin there can change at least a few percentages for the people there to be better.

As you said above, with Bitcoin today being able to grow their current economic values, my hope is that Cuba and Venezuela can fully recover and live as usual when they were glorious.

[DrBeer]

I agree that cryptocurrency for your countries is a chance to potentially change your life. But you need to understand that even though the general trend of bitcoin in recent years is the growth of its price, it also has drawdowns .. And in general it is a purely speculative instrument. This must be remembered and must be taken into account. I am sure that with the right approach, many people will be able, even if not to become millionaires, but to raise their standard of living!

this is one of the things that must be emphasized and realized by everyone, especially those who are here.
sometimes a lot of people especially beginners think btc is a shortcut to get rich but on the other hand thinking like this is a big mistake and it is not recommended to think like this.
crypto especially btc is a technology that is speculative and you can't see it in terms of profit only because if you take the wrong action, you may lose.
this is probably what everyone should apply

Around cryptocurrencies, there is a situation with a bunch of beliefs, fantasies, fairy tales and myths. Many people think that as soon as you have a cryptocurrency - that's it, life is good, you are rich and independent, and this is forever! But the reality is completely different - from shit-coins to regulatory shakes that can negatively affect the course. And after such events, yesterday's happy owners of the crypt can turn into gray-haired young people with twitching eyes In a word - as a lifeline, not all crypts are well suited for this role, and even those that do have features, about which we must not forget

[cheezcarls]

Great to hear that BTC is helping out these countries and hopefully other ones out there who are struggling economically. I can feel that they are slowly adopting and embracing cryptocurrencies and taking it one day at a time.

Even Venezuela’s largest airport is now accepting cryptocurrencies like BTC for booking plane tickets.

Yes cryptocurrencies could change their lives, as long they know the basics in doing their own research, proper risk management, etc.

[yananda]

that's why we must always think positive and take the good side. With their courage to make these decisions, they really deserve a better life
It can be said that it is an effective solution in going through difficult times

[DrBeer]

There is something about Russia I am yet to understand. They are already a big country with many natural resources and have another powerful country as ally (China), what is the reason of its imperialist in the XXI century?
Also, there are some theorical differences between Soviet socialism and Western socialism. They are people who even talk about "tropical socialism" in order to separate models from the old Soviet system.
Naturally, there is also a so-called XXI century socialist project conceived/supported by Hugo Chavez.

Russia pretends to be a great country. Greatness is not about size, it is about its significance, influence, strength, superiority. But this is all fake Russia is a huge, backward country, armed with technology of the 20th century, hungry and embittered at those who live the best of it. The fact that she has the resources does not make her either great or economically strong. In fact, this is a huge Venezuela or Cuba (no offense for the comparison). And the resources - so they mostly belong to a handful of thieves, and the country does not get anything from this.
Further - China is no friend. China is a very cunning "friend". China is a country that really needs Russia's resources - subsoil and land. And this expansion has already begun. Millions of hectares have been transferred to China on "special terms." Have you noticed how Russia began to give China its lands for nothing (as if for a long-term lease) after China did not recognize the annexation of Crimea as such? Russia is looking for at least some kind of support for its neo-Nazism, its terrorism must be supported by at least one large country ... China is perfect for this role. HERE are only plans for China more than just millions of hectares of the Russian taiga ...

[Hispo]

-snip-

 Russia is looking for at least some kind of support for its neo-Nazism, its terrorism must be supported by at least one large country ...

Wait a minute, Neo-Nazism?

Even Venezuela’s largest airport is now accepting cryptocurrencies like BTC for booking plane tickets.

Yes cryptocurrencies could change their lives, as long they know the basics in doing their own research, proper risk management, etc.

True, but I would not hand over a single satoshi to any government driven airline or organization. I'd rather pay them with the same bills they have insisted to keep printing till' total value dilution.

Any recommended resources to learn about pesonal risk management?

[Sithara007]

True, but I would not hand over a single satoshi to any government driven airline or organization. I'd rather pay them with the same bills they have insisted to keep printing till' total value dilution.

Any recommended resources to learn about pesonal risk management?

Ideally you should not be spending any of your Bitcoins now, since the outlook is extremely bullish for the medium to long term. In your case you have the option of paying with Venezuelan Bolivares as well. And it makes no sense to spend your BTC, when you have a worthless currency such as Bolivares with you. I am someone who still regrets spending most of my coins during 2014-19, when the exchange rates were very low. The tendency is to spend the asset which we have the most, but it is wrong.

[Hispo]

-snip-

Ideally you should not be spending any of your Bitcoins now, since the outlook is extremely bullish for the medium to long term. In your case you have the option of paying with Venezuelan Bolivares as well. And it makes no sense to spend your BTC, when you have a worthless currency such as Bolivares with you. I am someone who still regrets spending most of my coins during 2014-19, when the exchange rates were very low. The tendency is to spend the asset which we have the most, but it is wrong.

Of course, I would like to keep my few satoshis as a long term, however, sometimes the social context becomes a problem.
In case I run out of my medicine, my parents need some medical attention or anything that means a big emergency expending, I will likely end up selling some. This is the kind of place where people try to live a normal live with no medical insurance, car insurance, home insurance and few savings, here we are the liquidity we have in our pockets.

At least, in USA people can acquire debt in order to get medical aid.
Here it is not strange to get shot and be told to wait in the waiting room till' one can paid somehow.

Because of the inflationary nature of the local currency, I have zero Bolivars to my name.

[BernyJB]

As an Argentinian, having lived in Miami for almost 13 years, I've had the opportunity to know literally thousands of both Cubans and Venezuelans, and in both cases they're very peculiar people.
I've had endless arguments with both, because I fail to understand how an entire country can be dominated by a handful of thugs, and people won't move a finger to change that.
That said, I think any help that can be sent to oppressed people is a good thing. Unfortunately, in my experience,  most of that help will end up in the hands of the oppressors, and the victims will see very little (if any) of it.

Either way, I think you have to earn your help. Cubans have been basically enslaved for half a century, Venezuelans for about 2 decades, and they basically do nothing to force a change in their situation. I got my hopes up in 2004, when Venezuelans started to show signs of rebellion against Chavez's abuses, and finally nothing happened. That's the big problem with Latin America as a whole: everybody talks, but nobody does anything. That's not a suitable way to solve any problem.

[DrBeer]

As an Argentinian, having lived in Miami for almost 13 years, I've had the opportunity to know literally thousands of both Cubans and Venezuelans, and in both cases they're very peculiar people.
I've had endless arguments with both, because I fail to understand how an entire country can be dominated by a handful of thugs, and people won't move a finger to change that.
That said, I think any help that can be sent to oppressed people is a good thing. Unfortunately, in my experience,  most of that help will end up in the hands of the oppressors, and the victims will see very little (if any) of it.

Either way, I think you have to earn your help. Cubans have been basically enslaved for half a century, Venezuelans for about 2 decades, and they basically do nothing to force a change in their situation. I got my hopes up in 2004, when Venezuelans started to show signs of rebellion against Chavez's abuses, and finally nothing happened. That's the big problem with Latin America as a whole: everybody talks, but nobody does anything. That's not a suitable way to solve any problem.

I'll tell you how. Likewise, in the Soviet Union, 250 million people were simply intimidated and brought to a bestial state, creating a system that was more terrible than the Nazi. Tens of millions of citizens were killed by their own state, by the hands of the citizens of this country. People were exterminated because they did not want to live in a totalitarian society, they wanted to live like people, they wanted to dress nicely and eat deliciously ... And someone was killed simply because they had grievances and power in their hands. The level of sadism that the Soviet Union spawned, multiplied by the number of people who tortured and killed their brothers, most likely puts the Soviet Union in the first place in the world for bastards and misanthropy. And the same CheGuevara, Castro and other "revolutionaries" of Latin America are followers of Soviet ideology, taught from the works and real deeds of Soviet murderers and executioners. And the same Cubans were instilled with a couple of basic rules - be glad that you are alive at all, the imperialists are all around, everyone envies you, everyone is even worse, close your mouth and enjoy!
By the way - think about why in all countries with a totalitarian government any information channels from the outside are necessarily prohibited - TV, radio, the Internet has just been added? Because it is impossible to threaten and lie if people find out that this is all a lie! Citizens of such countries should be informationally underdeveloped, and live with only one problem - where to eat? Where can I get some money? And at the level of genetics - to be afraid to think about a change of power ..

[Crypto Lion]

I can't wait to see Bitcoin be used in other countries around the world. As it continues to grow as a decentralized currency, I'm optimistic that other countries will want to adopt it into their economic systems as well. 

[Sithara007]

Of course, I would like to keep my few satoshis as a long term, however, sometimes the social context becomes a problem.
In case I run out of my medicine, my parents need some medical attention or anything that means a big emergency expending, I will likely end up selling some. This is the kind of place where people try to live a normal live with no medical insurance, car insurance, home insurance and few savings, here we are the liquidity we have in our pockets.

At least, in USA people can acquire debt in order to get medical aid.
Here it is not strange to get shot and be told to wait in the waiting room till' one can paid somehow.

Because of the inflationary nature of the local currency, I have zero Bolivars to my name.

I guess you need USD for such emergency situations, as I am not sure whether Bolivars will be accepted everywhere. But I remember one of your earlier posts, in which you mentioned that there is a chance of confiscation from the part of the cops. Same is the case with gold coins. On top of confiscation, there is a risk of theft as well. Bitcoin is safer, as it can't be confiscated (if stored properly). That said, I am not sure how easy it is to convert BTC to USD, especially in emergency situations like hospital admissions.

[Hispo]

-snip-

I guess you need USD for such emergency situations, as I am not sure whether Bolivars will be accepted everywhere. But I remember one of your earlier posts, in which you mentioned that there is a chance of confiscation from the part of the cops. Same is the case with gold coins. On top of confiscation, there is a risk of theft as well. Bitcoin is safer, as it can't be confiscated (if stored properly). That said, I am not sure how easy it is to convert BTC to USD, especially in emergency situations like hospital admissions.

Bolivars are still widely accepted as medium of exchange but using the price of the USD as reference for transactions.

Confiscations exist but are not common, would be easier to get stolen by a common criminal.
Fortunately, having Bolivars in one's bank account and spendind them with a debit card it is enough to avoid both scenarios.

BTC convertions to USD cash it is neither easy nor automatic, it would be better just to convert to Bolivars in one's bank account and spend them ASAP, depending on the platform the spread may be a problem, in my opinon Binance's P2P has fair enough rates.

[DrBeer]

After reading the topic up to this point, I realized that the original idea "bitcoin will save the economy" has turned into "bitcoin is hard to take away by an illegal method" !? Those. the main problem has crystallized - not the economic crisis, but the inability to save your money or other values! From the very beginning I did not understand and do not understand how bitcoin can save from an incorrectly constructed economic model, and not the smartest government?

[worldofcoins]

Things had been really for Venezuelans before bitcoin came and even after bitcoin was accepted into the country.

If I'm not wrong then there's going to be a cryptocurrency with the GOLD reserve in IRAQ that will be used worldwide but has faced many oppositions by US

[Sithara007]

Bolivars are still widely accepted as medium of exchange but using the price of the USD as reference for transactions.

Confiscations exist but are not common, would be easier to get stolen by a common criminal.
Fortunately, having Bolivars in one's bank account and spending them with a debit card it is enough to avoid both scenarios.

BTC conversions to USD cash it is neither easy nor automatic, it would be better just to convert to Bolivars in one's bank account and spend them ASAP, depending on the platform the spread may be a problem, in my opinion Binance's P2P has fair enough rates.

OK.. so the situation is not as bad as I thought. But even then, converting BTC to USD is a bit complicated. First you need to convert BTC to Bolivars (probably using a P2P platform and the bank account) and then again convert Bolivars to USD. All that said, P2P can be quite tricky. I have dealt with various platforms over the years and every now and then I get an issue with the potential buyer. And if this happens in Venezuela, then things can get further complicated since BTC is in the grey zone of legality. And relieved to hear that confiscations are not that common (especially with USD banknotes and gold coins).

[Hispo]

-snip-

First you need to convert BTC to Bolivars (probably using a P2P platform and the bank account) and then again convert Bolivars to USD.

That's correct.

All that said, P2P can be quite tricky. I have dealt with various platforms over the years and every now and then I get an issue with the potential buyer. And if this happens in Venezuela, then things can get further complicated since BTC is in the grey zone of legality.

Actually P2P it is something common and we have a big volume, besides P2P we also have automatic platforms which buy crypto (you dont need to interact with a person), however the spread on those platforms are not as favorable as P2P in Binance, for example.

Also, Bitcoin and other crypto-assets are legal here, so there are somewhat "clear" laws.

And relieved to hear that confiscations are not that common (especially with USD banknotes and gold coins).

Right, one just need to be aware of the things one is not supposed to do.
For example, two weeks ago I needed to walk downtown to buy something (about 5,6 miles), I took with me my debit card and ID, no cellphone, no cash, no expensive shoes, etc.

The rule of thumb is not to carry anything of value on us when walking, just in case.

[LUCKMCFLY]

I’ve always wondered ways that people believed people cryptocurrency can be of help to countries like this that are in poverty, and the only thing I can figure out is that it can only assist them in ways of transactions. Apart from being used for transaction, I don’t really see any other means.

So, people in Cuban or Venezuela that have families in the EU and US or any part of the world can now be able to receive money from their families abroad easily without having any hindrances at all. So, it is so good that they have such a technology at their reach. Why most of them will prefer Bitcoin as a means of transaction is the fact that the fees they will have to pay for it is cheap and also it takes just few minutes for you to send and receive it, unlike banks where you will have to wait for days before the money will arrive.

For me, the economic exit of particular economies to a better option is focused on the economic technology of BTC, as the issue is focused on socialism and communism, which for me is practically the same, even if many say no, I am living In a nation where Socialism is sold to you as the best option, they even compare it to Jesus Christ in his time, making people move emotions to accept such a movement, and when it is established, the road to communism is like peeling a Mandarin, that simple, that's how they disguise it, it will always tend to the same, and obviously the economic state and the quality of life are reduced to great levels, when BTC is handled it is something else, because you are no longer in a controlled system, but that you have financial freedom.