Tag Archives: Latin America

Venezuela’s poor sour on Maduro as prices, shortages sting

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“Increasing numbers of low-income Venezuelans are souring on Maduro as they suffer a declining economy, the highest inflation in the Americas, chronic shortages of basic goods and one of the world’s highest murder rates.  Swelling frustration in the tough slums dotting Caracas’s rolling hills means Maduro is much more vulnerable, especially as oil prices fall to around five-year lows.  Currency controls have fomented a black market where dollars now fetch over 27 times the strongest official exchange rate, hitting imports of basic goods.  Wealthier Venezuelans dodge the long waits by hiring people to shop for them, buying goods abroad, turning to high-end stores or simply leaving the country.”

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/10/us-venezuela-chavistas-idUSKBN0JO1C820141210

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A New Free-Thinking Community for Your Life, Safety and Sanity

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Anthony-Wile1

“Anyone considering securing a secondary residence knows that finding an ideal place to live in a foreign country can be a daunting task. That’s one of the reasons for the popularity of expat ‘communities.’ Such communities often have drawbacks, though, in that they are extremely isolated, ideologically or geographically, or mismanaged and simply involve an unacceptable level of financial risk.  I’m especially excited to share with you this breaking news because the community High Alert is developing in Colombia has considered those drawbacks, and many others, and offers the right alternative. As they say in Colombia, ‘The only risk is not wanting to leave.'”

http://www.thedailybell.com/editorials/35848/Anthony-Wile-A-New-Free-Thinking-Community-for-Your-Life-Safety-and-Sanity/

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Ayahuasca: Could it be the next medicinal marijuana?

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“Imagine discovering a plant that has the potential to help alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts and paralyzing anxiety. That’s what some believe ayahuasca can do, and this psychedelic drink is attracting more and more tourists to the Amazon.
If you Google ‘ayahuasca,’ you’ll find a litany of stories about Hollywood celebrities espousing its benefits, as well as the dangers of this relatively unstudied substance that triggers hallucinations. On this Sunday’s episode of ‘This Is Life,’ Lisa Ling goes inside an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru and talks to the men and women who are drinking this potent brew in hopes that it will alleviate their mental and emotional traumas.”

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/22/health/ayahuasca-medicine-six-things/

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Can Free Zones in the Middle of the Jungle Save the Developing World?

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“Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. It has the highest murder rate in the world by double. It’s a place ravaged by the illegal drug trade and political instability. As recently as 2009 the military ousted a president pushing to modify the constitution in order to extend his own term. It may seem like the last place on earth where businesses would want to invest, or where people would want to move.   But there’s a new idea about to be tried in Honduras.  Some call it a Startup City or Free City, others a LEAP Zone, and in Honduran law it’s known as a ZEDE. They are politically autonomous, privately run zones that supporters believe could transform the entire developing world.”

http://reason.com/blog/2014/08/21/can-free-zones-in-the-middle-of-the-jung

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BitPay Expands European Headquarters

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“Last week, BitPay announced plans to move to a larger office in the Dutch capital after observing a bitcoin payment explosion in Europe of €28 million this year: a whopping 1,900 percent increase from last year’s €1.4 million.  With demand for the cryptocurrency found particularly high in the U.K., Germany, and Netherlands, BitPay hopes to acquire 30,000 merchants in Europe by the end of 2014. The company cited already had 7,000 by earlier this year.  In May, BitPay received $30 million capital infusion led by London-based Index Ventures, just a month after announcing plans to expand operations in South America and Europe.”

http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/27164/bitpay-expands-european-headquarters/

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Venezuela’s newest shortage: breast implants

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“Beauty-obsessed Venezuelans face a scarcity of brand-name breast implants, and women are so desperate that they and their doctors are turning to devices that are the wrong size or made in China, with less rigorous quality standards.  Venezuelans once had easy access to implants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But doctors say they are now all-but impossible to find because restrictive currency controls have deprived local businesses of the cash to import foreign goods. It may not be the gravest shortfall facing the socialist South American country, but surgeons say the issue cuts to the psyche of the image-conscious Venezuelan woman.”

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/venezuelas-newest-shortage-breast-implants

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Uruguay bans all cash payments over US$5,000 as of next year

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“Uruguay yesterday sanctioned its Financial Inclusion Law, which will ban cash payments worth more than US$5,000 as of May 1 next year. Property transactions and car purchases will thus have to be made through banking mechanisms.  The measure will affect thousands of Argentines who have snapped up properties across the River Plate, primarily in the summer-favourite destination of Punta del Este.  The recipients of income from rent contracts already in place before May 1 of 2015 will have to declare a bank account to which the funds should be deposited.  In addition, all taxes will have to be paid electronically, regardless of the sum that is owed.”

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/168152/uruguay-bans-all-cash-payments-over-us$5000-as-of-next-year

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Dominica Will Be First Nation with Universal Bitcoin Possession

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“For the first time in history, an entire national population will have the cryptocurrency bitcoin in their hands for use: the people of Dominica, an island republic in the middle of the Caribbean. An event to mark the occasion will be held in March 2015, thanks to the goodwill of local authorities and a collaborative initiative from Coinapult, Aspen Assurance, Bitcoin Beauties, and the College Cryptocurrency Network (CCN).  The initiative, known as ‘Let the Bit Drop,’ will send a small of amount of bitcoin to every island resident via text message. This effort will turn Dominica, and its more than 70,000 residents, into the most densely concentrated bitcoin community in the world.”

http://panampost.com/belen-marty/2014/08/28/dominica-will-be-first-nation-with-universal-bitcoin-possession/

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Doug Casey on His Favorite Place in the World

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“Having been to over 170 countries, Doug is by far the most well-traveled person whom I know. But it’s not just a contest of how many countries a person has been to. Doug’s unique and historically informed point of view is what really sets him apart.  Doug, of course, has thought long and hard about his favorite place in the world. He concluded that for him it’s Argentina, the location of La Estancia de Cafayate, Doug’s sporting and lifestyle estate in beautiful Salta Province.  Which naturally gives rise to the question, ‘Why, of all places in the world Doug could have built his vision of a freedom-lover’s paradise, did he and his partners choose a remote pueblo in Argentina?'”

http://www.internationalman.com/articles/doug-casey-on-his-favorite-place-in-the-world

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Easy permanent residence with Panama Friendly Nations visa

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“Last year, the Panamanian government introduced its ‘Friendly Nations visa’, a permanent residence scheme for citizens of select ‘friendly’ countries.  Since its introduction, the government has added a total of 47 countries.  Qualifying for this visa is remarkably easy. Yes, there is still government paperwork and I’m told it could take up to nine months to process.  However, the barrier to entry is unbelievably low. You simply need to deposit $5,000 in a Panamanian bank account (plus $2,000 for each additional dependent, if applicable) and demonstrate some tie of ‘economic activity’ to Panama in the form of starting or buying a business, owning real estate, or even getting a job.”

http://nomadcapitalist.com/2013/02/07/panama-residence-program-means-you-have-no-excuses-anymore/

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