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posted by takyon on Thursday December 07 2017, @05:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the petros-per-gallon dept.

Enter the 'petro': Venezuela to launch oil-backed cryptocurrency

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro looked to the world of digital currency to circumvent U.S.-led financial sanctions, announcing on Sunday the launch of the "petro" backed by oil reserves to shore up a collapsed economy. The leftist leader offered few specifics about the currency launch or how the struggling OPEC member would pull off such a feat, but he declared to cheers that "the 21st century has arrived!"

"Venezuela will create a cryptocurrency," backed by oil, gas, gold and diamond reserves, Maduro said in his regular Sunday televised broadcast, a five-hour showcase of Christmas songs and dancing. The petro, he said, would help Venezuela "advance in issues of monetary sovereignty, to make financial transactions and overcome the financial blockade."

Opposition leaders derided the announcement, which they said needed congressional approval, and some cast doubt on whether the digital currency would ever see the light of day in the midst of turmoil. The real currency, the bolivar, is in freefall, and the country is sorely lacking in basic needs like food and medicine.


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  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 07 2017, @05:23PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 07 2017, @05:23PM (#606878)

    Still kicking myself for not mining a few bitcoins when I first heard about it and everybody was CPU mining.

    /me kicks self hard

    Could have paid for not only the plastic surgery I want, but somebody who's practically family to me as well.

    /me kicks self even harder

    Oh, and in other news, congrats XBT for reaching $16000!!

    And that Aventador I want.

    /me presses ⤴K at self, accompanied by cracks as a few ribs break

    Oh, and in other news, congrats XBT for reaching $17000!!!eleven!1!

    /me dies from punctured lung

    Eh, don't worry about me. I'm actually not quite dead yet.

    In fact, I'm getting better! I think I'll go for a walk.

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