What are our interests in a Latin American country

If, as a result of the revolutionary events in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro loses power, then Russia can expect serious financial losses. After all, our country has managed to invest a lot of money in Venezuela. We remembered how the Latin American country came to such a life, why it became poorer and what interests the Russian state and businessmen had left there.

The prerequisites for economic chaos in Venezuela became noticeable even under Hugo Chavez. Having headed the country in 2002, he focused on the fight against poverty - he tried to improve social infrastructure, create as much affordable housing as possible and provide jobs. The key to the ongoing reforms were the largest oil reserves in the world, which made it possible to hope that socialism in Venezuela could still be built. This was facilitated by the transition under the control of the government of the main oil company PDVSA.

Partially successful - social spending increased by 60%, the number of people below the poverty line decreased by more than 15%, the level of education increased, about 14 thousand clinics were built - more than 1.5 times more than in the previous 40 years.

Meanwhile, the negative factors from such a policy still outweighed. Venezuela finally sat down on the notorious "oil needle" - the dependence of the country's budget revenues on the export of raw materials increased from 74% to 95%. Caracas began to subsidize the purchase of fuel, which made gasoline practically free in Venezuela. In turn, new jobs did not bring much profit - most of them were created in the service sector and were only an appendage of the entire economy as a whole.

Nicolas Maduro, who replaced Chavez, continued his policy in an even cooler way. On his orders, for example, the owners of electrical goods stores were arrested, and then the requisitioned property was sold at a 90% discount.

The lack of oil investment has led to the fact that food prices have risen almost 10 times - despite the fact that wages have risen by less than 40%.

Those sellers who raised prices were constantly fined. Trading networks sabotaged their work - they hid a significant part of the goods under the counter. Inflation accelerated more and more: at the end of 2013, when Maduro was already in office as president of Venezuela, it exceeded 55%.

Residents of Venezuela began to convert their savings into dollars, investors curtailed projects, and businessmen refused to expand their activity. The country's financial stability was finally undermined by a sharp drop in oil prices at the turn of 2014-2015, when the barrel quotes fell from $115 to $50.

The Maduro government, according to experts, made several gross economic mistakes in such a situation - it continued to maintain the rate of its own currency (moreover, there were two separate rates - for the population and for industry), adjusted the minimum wage in the public sector to inflation and tried to contain the rise in prices for food.

This policy proved to be a failure. As of October 2018, the state's GDP decreased by 18%, and hyperinflation accelerated to 1.7 million percent (!). Venezuela's external debt exceeds $130 billion.

Russia has repeatedly offered its assistance to save the Venezuelan economy. Back in 2005, a major Russian oil company signed the PdVSA agreement on the joint exploration of the Junin-3 fields with geological reserves of 2.5 billion tons of oil.

A more substantive agreement is Moscow’s consent, given in November 2017, to the restructuring of the Venezuelan debt in the amount of $3.15 billion. However, the problem is not in debt, but in the fact that our companies that invest in Venezuela have accumulated claims to Caracas in terms of the amount and form of payment for their services.

In general, the current volume of accumulated Russian investments in Venezuela is estimated at $4 billion, according to the materials of the Ministry of Economic Development. Only China has invested more, having spent about $60 billion for these purposes. “Most likely, no one is counting on their return - these were political investments,” notes Alexander Razuvaev, director of the Alpari IAC.

The last time Moscow tried to help Maduro was last November. Caracas was visited by a delegation of representatives of the economic bloc of the Russian government, headed by Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak. Russia even proposed its plan to rescue the Venezuelan economy, which included liberal market reforms. However, as the course of current events shows, the Russian plan never came to fruition. “We will probably never know the full figure of the losses of the Russian state and our companies in Venezuela. The situation with Russian property and debts will be close to Ukrainian. For Moscow, Caracas is a suitcase without a handle. Financial injections only prolong the agony of a regime that is absolutely unviable economically, but absolutely politically loyal to Moscow,” Razuvaev believes.

Having lost Venezuela as a geopolitical ally, Russia could lose access to the largest reserves of "black gold" in the world and gas fields there. Metal producers were interested in work in Venezuela - the extraction of bauxite, alumina and the creation of aluminum production in this country would save Russia up to $ 2-3 billion only on transportation costs.

The construction of automobile, aircraft building and defense factories would give an order of magnitude more. Our country even wanted to create ships at the shipyards of Venezuela that would be able to transport hydrocarbons around the world, which would give Russia some advantage over the United States.

True, so far most of these projects exist only in plans, so it’s not worth sharing the skin of an unkilled bear. For today, according to BCS senior analyst Sergey Suverov, the loss of Venezuela as an economic partner could mean for Russia a potentially lost revenue of $10-12 billion a year. “Only Caracas is an extremely risky asset. This is roulette - if Maduro is replaced by politicians loyal to Washington, then our country will lose economic cooperation with Venezuela for many years, ”the expert warns.

FROM THE MK DOSSIER: what the Russian plan for saving Venezuela meant

The introduction of an unconditional basic income - regular payments of a certain amount to each citizen - instead of subsidizing the purchase of fuel by the population.

Hang a "lock" on the printing press - stop closing holes in the budget through new money issues.

Tax reform - the introduction of indirect fiscal fees instead of direct taxes.

Increasing oil production and expanding export supply channels.

Solve problems with hyperinflation and sanctions by creating a national cryptocurrency, El Petro, linked to oil. At the same time, to postpone for the future the settlement of virtual banknotes in foreign economic transactions.

First, I have to admit that I am that “conspiracy theorist” and love to read the signs on the back of the dollar bill, as if trying to solve the mystery of the century. The all-seeing eye, the pyramid, the One World Government, Masonic symbols, the hidden meaning of Latin words, even the phrases "In God we trust" added in 1955... I'm a big fan of the secret meaning. Just google "The Hidden Meaning of the US Dollar" and you'll find ALMOST EVERYTHING you can imagine. Because I don't know which of these is true, so I believe EVERYTHING. So much more fun. If you think it's all a duck and there are no hidden characters on the back of the $1 bill... "Nonsense, it's just a cute picture..."... then this article is not for you.

And, of course, I was absolutely delighted when, FINALLY, the new $100 bill was announced and ALL OF THIS GOLD APPEARED ON IT!

I admit that I am a little moved on all this. One of the central themes in my work on Road to Roota Letters is that there is a group of people trying to end the fiat money system and bring the US back to the gold standard. Those who are not familiar with this concept can read:

A few years ago, a reader told me that the new $100 bill would be "special," and he didn't lie. I LOVE this banknote!!! See how it becomes golden in the light...

Okay. Of course, this could be a coincidence and my imagination may be overactive, but be indulgent as we move on. Take a closer look at the new banknote and remember that the US has a special history of hidden meaning in its banknotes and that there is a real possibility of a currency crash (due to a return to the gold standard) in the near future.

Let's start with the most obvious difference from even other new colored banknotes: that huge blue stripe right down the middle. For those unfamiliar with the symbolism of the colors of the American flag, red stands for Endurance and Valor, white stands for Purity and Innocence, and blue stands for Vigilance, Diligence and Justice. Could it be that the big blue bar means a lot more than you think?

There are only two serious camps in the theory of money. The former believes in fiat/fiat money, while the latter believes in "hard money" backed by gold. Let's assume that these two opposite ideologies are represented on this banknote. Take a close look at the left side of the blue stripe.

Let's say the left side represents the fiat/fiat money camp. There are no new colors, just good old grey-green. The same good old fiat money. It's the same as before... the inscription "Fed Note", the official seal of the Fed, Oooh... it looks like the signature of the US Treasury Secretary has moved from the right side to the left (come on, what camp do you think Geithner belongs to? ) And for you, currency lovers, even Benjamin Franklin“settled” on the left side of the blue stripe along with his enigmatic smirk…why does that surprise you?

Well, not many people know this, but Ben Franklin was a BIG supporter of paper money in his day. Don't get me wrong, he was a great and loyal American anti-banker, but in his time the fight was in the opposite direction. The English bankers were imposing a gold/silver standard on the colonists, but Franklin knew that international trade would leave the colonies with no physical money left for domestic trade. This may have been the REAL cause of the American Revolution! This event is well described here:

In truth, it's time to rewrite all the US history books and tell the world the REAL HISTORY. The American Revolution was really... A REVOLT AGAINST THE BANKERS!

Back to green

So, you can see that everything on the left side of the new one hundred dollar bill is about holding fiat money.

Now let's take a look at the right side of the blue band - the Vigilance, Diligence and Justice side!

MY GOD…GOLDEN ABUNDANCE!! Gold inkwell, gold liberty bell, gold pen, gold number "100", gold watermark, inscription in gold in the background, "July 4, 1776" in gold... Even a HUGE gold number "100" in the background! There is so much gold on the right side of this note that you will probably drop it when handing it to the cashier!

Here's what I think of the golden symbolism:

The United States has been preparing for a return to the gold standard for a long time, and this time has come.

The golden inkpot symbolizes that Congress is empowered to enact laws that can overthrow the fiat money system with a stroke of a pen.

The golden Liberty Bell, along with the inkwell, symbolizes the right of Congress to make laws that break the noose of banking bondage that has been placed on the freedom of the citizens of the United States.

Note that the phrase "THIS BANKNOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBT, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE" has also moved from the left side to the right side (or gold standard side!)

Now look how the color of the number "100" in the lower foreground changes from GREEN to GOLD... still unconvincing?

And now for my favorite... look at the words on the right, right above the number "100".

Do you see it?

"...People change it or abandon it, and create a new one..."

These, my friends, are words straight from our Declaration of Independence, and in full they are:

“If any form of government becomes destructive to these very purposes, the people have the right to change or abolish it and establish a new government based on such principles and forms of organization of power as, in their opinion, will best ensure the safety and security of the people. happiness".

Daria Nikitina

Reading time: 6 minutes

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The new $100 bill was introduced in the US on April 21, 2010. The design of the new banknote differs markedly from the old 1996 banknote. “Like all previous versions of one hundred dollars, the new bill contains the best technology currently available. We are confident that we remain one step ahead of all sorts of counterfeiters," Tim Geithner, US Secretary of the Treasury, said at a press conference. "Despite the release of the new $100 bill, the old banknotes currently in circulation (there are 6.5 billion of them) will continue to be legal tender," said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The new $100 bill has 2 new security features: a 3D security tape and an ink bottle. These elements should make it easier for consumers and merchants to verify the authenticity of the currency.

“New security features have appeared on the banknote after a decade of research and development designed to protect the currency from counterfeiting. To ensure a smooth introduction of the new $100 bills into the financial system, we will conduct global education programs to ensure US currency users are aware of the new security features,” said Rosie Rios of the US Treasury.

Photo of new 100 dollars

Looking at the photo, it can be seen with the naked eye that the bill has become more colorful. On the front of the new $100, in addition to the new ribbon and inkwell already mentioned, American symbols of freedom are depicted, including phrases from the US Declaration of Independence, as well as the Founding Fathers' pen used to sign this historic document. Both elements are located to the right of the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

In addition, from the visual differences, you can see that the image of Franklin on the front side and Independence Hall on the back side have increased. The ovals around the president and the building have disappeared.

Old banknote	New banknote

Security elements of the new banknote

And now let's briefly get acquainted with the protective elements of the new hundred bucks.

	3D security tape. Examine the blue ribbon at different angles. You will see that depending on the different angle of inclination, the image of the bells changes to the number 100. If you tilt the banknote back and forth, the bells and the numbers 100 move from side to side. If you tilt the banknote left and right, they move up and down. The ribbon is woven into the paper, not printed on it.
	Bell in the inkwell. The inkwell and bell on the $100 bill change copper color when it is tilted. Tilt the banknote to see the color of the bell change from copper to green, giving the impression that the bell appears in and out of the inkwell.
	Watermark in the form of a portrait. Look at the banknote against the light and you will see a fuzzy image of Benjamin Franklin in the empty space to the right of the portrait. The image is visible on both sides of the bill. This type of protection is very common.
	Security thread. View the $100 in the light and you will see a vertical security thread woven into the paper to the left of the portrait. On the thread you can see the inscription USA and the number 100, which are placed vertically along its entire length and are visible from both sides of the bill. In ultraviolet light, this thread glows pink.
	Color changing number 100. Tilt the banknote and you will see the color of the number 100 in the lower right corner of the front side of the banknote change from copper to green.

MOSCOW, January 26 - RIA Novosti, Alexander Lesnykh. The trial of the theft of a gold coin worth one million dollars has begun in the Berlin Regional Court. Robbers stole a 100-kilogram item from the Coin Office of the Bode Museum in Berlin in March 2017. How much does this coin really cost and who decided on such a daring crime - in the material of RIA Novosti.

There is no reception against scrap

The Big Maple Leaf is a bullion coin weighing 100 kilograms, over 50 centimeters in diameter and almost four centimeters thick. On the obverse there is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, on the reverse - a maple leaf.

Six of these coins were minted by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007. According to Reuters, one was given to Elizabeth II, four more were acquired by anonymous private investors, and the last one went to AvW investment group from Austria. Later, when AvW went bankrupt, its "Big Maple Leaf" was bought at auction by the Spanish company Oro Direct, which trades in precious metals. Which of the six coins ended up in the collection of the Bode Museum is not known for certain, but on the night of March 27, 2017 it was stolen.

The daring crime caused a wide resonance in Germany and throughout Europe. Deutsche Welle special correspondent for culture Gero Schliss, not without malice, reminded readers that Angela Merkel lives not far from the Bode Museum and if the thieves decided to kidnap her, Germany would have every chance of being left without a chancellor.

In social networks, they vied with each other to discuss how the thieves managed to enter the museum without disturbing the alarm system, remove the coin from under the cap made of bulletproof glass, and carry it away, despite the 100-kilogram weight.

After a couple of days, the picture became clearer. "Big Maple Leaf" was stolen at about three in the morning. Taking advantage of the fact that at that time there were no trains running along the branch of the city electric train adjacent to the walls of the museum, the thieves put a ladder on the tracks and climbed into it through the window.

The police found that the criminals broke the protective glass cap with an ordinary ax, rolled the coin out into the street, loaded it into a cart and transported it across the river along the railway tracks. Moreover, the exhibit was dropped several times. The ax and cart found by the police were bought by the criminals the day before at a hardware store.

A thief should sit in jail

The thieves were caught on surveillance cameras. In July, the police, together with special forces soldiers, carried out raids in the Neukölln area, detaining suspects. They turned out to be members of the Remmo criminal group responsible for numerous violent crimes, robberies and drug trafficking - the brothers Walid, Tofig and Visam R., as well as their cousin Wissam (the police do not disclose the names). Their parents came to Germany from Lebanon.

Wissam worked at the museum as a security guard and knew well how the internal security system works. True, it is still not clear why the protective cap made of bulletproof glass could not resist an ordinary ax.

The fate of the "Big Maple Leaf" is also unknown - the coin was never found. Apparently, it was immediately melted down and the gold was sold on the black market. On this, the criminals could earn much more than the face value of a million dollars.

In the year the coin was issued, gold was quoted at an average of $695 per ounce. That is, 3215 ounces of the "Big Maple Leaf" precious metal cost about $2.2 million. Ten years later, gold has almost doubled in price - up to 1262 dollars. Accordingly, more than four million dollars could be obtained "by weight" for a coin.