This guy seems like a decent writer. Apparently, if I hired him at US rates, he would be wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Why isn't there more remote work going on?
$100 -> .17BTC -> 102 VEF -> $10.25. So you'd lose 90% of the dollar value even at the generous official VEF/USD exchange rate.
Right now, $1 = $1004 VEF I see that 1 BTC = $583.79
From localbitcoin.com I see people selling in Venezuela at around 628000.00 VEF / BTC. So the price is the same.
I think what's going on, is they are calculating the price of the dollar at one of the govt rates of 645 VEF per dollar.
That's not realistic. Anyone with dollars in Venezuela is going to sell them at the black market rate of VEF 1000 per dollar.
Of course, the black market rate is illegal here and the government even went so far as blocking the black market rate information websites here. That's their idea of economic policy.
EDIT: Just realized, surbitcoin rate is around BsF 600k per Bitcoin. We use the dot (.) as the thousands separator.
ETA: rafaelm, I'll send you $50 worth of bitcoin if you'll post an address :)
It used to be pretty easy to open an account in Panama or the US from Venezuela, don't know if that has changed. The thing is getting the funds for the initial deposit.
I think you are the second person in Venezuela I've found on HN. Check my profile for my contact info.
The whole problem with the country are self-inflicted wounds.