> I'm from Venezuela, and happen to know a few people that are mining bitcoin down there
Is there any evidence government cronies are mining Bitcoin en masse?
Is there any evidence government cronies are mining Bitcoin en masse?
I'm not quite sure why people who have contacts in the government would need/want to run bitcoin.
If you do have reliable contacts, the best way to make money (as I understand it) is from import/export fraud, as well as exchange rate trickery.
Bitcoin seems like it's something you can do without government contacts.
USD, Bitcoin, commodities, food ... anything has better return than that.
You'd be squeezing your contacts for hard currency, which is simultaneously more lucrative and easier than mining bitcoin. Bitcoin is for people who are locked out of official exchange rates.