Latam Insights: Bukele Goes Chavez Mode Against High Prices, Paraguay Strengthens Power Theft Penalties For Crypto Mining

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: President Nayib Bukele starts combating price gouging practices in El Salvador a la Chavez, Paraguay enacts penalties of up to 10 years of jail time for power theft linked to crypto mining activities, … Read more

‘Going Full Hugo Chavez’: Bukele Expands Farmers’ Markets in El Salvador to Fight Price Gouging Practices

President Nayib Bukele compared himself to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez after announcing that Farmers’ Markets, an initiative of the Agriculture Ministry of El Salvador focused on offering lower prices to Salvadorans in selected items, will be permanently open. These markets are the latest weapon brandished by Bukele to bring prices down, having accused … Read more

Ledn Co-Founder Mauricio Di Bartolomeo States Crypto Will Be a Determinant Factor on Latam Elections: ‘People Want Bitcoin’

Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, co-founder and CSO of Ledn, a Canada-based bitcoin lending platform, stated that Latam citizens are shifting to elect governments supporting bitcoin as a better money alternative. In an interview with Bitcoin News, Di Bartolomeo stressed that presidents like Bukele in El Salvador and Milei in Argentina have shown Latam that proposals including … Read more

‘First Citizen’ of Bitcoin City Leaves El Salvador After Waiting Over 2 Years for Its Construction

Corbin Keegan, a U.S. national who self-proclaimed himself as the first citizen of Bitcoin City, has temporarily left El Salvador after waiting over two years for the state to build the settlement. President Nayib Bukele first announced this infrastructure proposal for Bitcoin City in November 2021. He also explained that the settlement would be constructed … Read more

Pro-Bitcoin President Bukele Begins Second Term in El Salvador

The pro-bitcoin president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, commenced his second term on June 1 at the National Palace in San Salvador, with his family and a large crowd in attendance. Despite rising economic concerns, Bukele’s popularity remains robust. His administration’s notable policies include adopting bitcoin as legal tender. During his first term, over 80,000 … Read more

Ark CEO Cathie Wood Talks Bitcoin With El Salvador’s President — Applauds His Vision for BTC Hub

Cathie Wood, CEO of asset management firm Ark Invest, recently met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and discussed bitcoin. She praised his progressive approach to economic and educational reforms. “President Bukele’s determination to transform El Salvador into a hub for the bitcoin and AI communities — two of the most significant economic and technological … Read more

Bitcoin Reportedly Hindering El Salvador’s Credit Opportunities With the IMF

Bitcoin and its adoption by the government of El Salvador have become a negative factor in the country’s negotiations with the IMF. According to reports, the institution demands changes to El Salvador’s Bitcoin law to receive a $1.4 billion credit line for expediting public debt payments and other obligations. El Salvador’s Bitcoin Allegiance Is Getting … Read more

Salvadoran Press Raises Doubts on Piggy Bank Funds’ Ownership: 80% of BTC Came From Bitfinex

Reports from local Salvadoran press are raising questions about President Bukele’s announcement last week, when he transferred 5,690 BTC to a cold wallet, stating that all of these belonged to the country. Moises Alvarado, a Salvadoran journalist, found that 80% of the funds in this wallet came from Bitfinex, an international exchange, while 20% came … Read more