Growing Panic In Venezuela Over Voided Currency

Wall Street Journal: Venezuelans Protest Over Worthless Cash

Scattered looting as population is stuck with voided 100-bolivar notes

MARACAIBO, Venezuela—Desperate and cashless Venezuelans, angry that the government hasn’t exchanged their voided bank notes as officials had pledged, on Friday rose up in protest with some scattered looting of stores.

National Guard troops were deployed to put down the unrest that broke out as far west as this large city near the Colombian border and in smaller towns in the east. With only nine days to go before Christmas, Venezuelans grappling with a collapsing economy and soaring inflation are left without money after President Nicolás Maduro in a sudden move this week banned the 100-bolivar note, the country’s largest denomination. Only the Central Bank now accepts the remaining bills—and only until Tuesday.

“Maduro is making a mockery of the people, and he has destroyed Christmas for all Venezuelans,” said Desiré Chávez, a 33-year-old clothing vendor in Maracaibo who had accepted the 100-bolivar notes until Thursday. “Now I don’t know what I’ll do because that cash is useless and my kids are hungry.”

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WNU Editor: Venezuela may not be in a war where we can see bombed out cities and devastated civilians like we do in Syria .... but right now there are millions of victims in Venezuela who are now traumatised by this government imposed chaos. Venezuela may not be at the tipping point of a revolution right now, but it is getting there.

More News On Venezuela's Currency Crisis

Venezuela Voids Popular Form of Currency, Setting Off Panic -- NYT
Protests flare over Venezuela cash chaos; three deaths reported -- Reuters
Looting and protests on streets of Venezuela as residents fume over cash chaos -- The Independent
Riots break out in Venezuela as people get stuck with worthless cash -- Fusion
ANALYSIS: 'This is a mockery': Venezuela's poor hit hardest by currency chaos -- CBC
Declaring war on common sense, Venezuela bans its own money -- Washington Post