The claim that “new debt cannot be contracted without Assembly approval” has been one of the opposition’s most effective lines of attack against. Unfortunately, as a matter of law, it’s mostly wrong.
Since last year, short-end Venny bonds have been possibly the one asset class worldwide that can more than double the worth of your portfolio in a year — aside from cocaine. That can't last, obvs, but man has the ride been sweet.
Don't be fooled by talk of 'repo' deals, Venezuela is pawning assets in international credit markets for pennies on the dollar on genuinely horrendous terms.
Investors in Venezuelan debt were already nervous over the upcoming April 12th maturity. The TSJ power grab sent them into panic-selling mode and set the stage for a weekend of uncertainty.
Mansion's Bakery, blocks away from Miraflores, is the latest casualty in the government's war on bread. It's also proof that people do go out and protest, until repression arrives, of course.
Venezuela is no longer helping out the gringos brave the winter months with subsidized heating oil. Perhaps we can send them expired foodstuffs instead?
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