[bacon]

thought id share what i just read. VENEZUELA DEVALUES FROM 4.30 TO 6.30 BOLIVARS at a 46% decline in the currency. this would make for very cheap travel and living in the near term.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-02-08...urrency-32

[WestCoast]

That's not really true brother, the illegal market is already well north of that, so it really doesn't help too much.

That place is still dangerous as f*ck from my recent intel as well.

If the illegal market radically changed then sure, overall based on checks wld not recommend though.

[johnwu]

Before, you had to know how to handle yourself when going to Venezuela, but now, with further devaluation, I would not recommend going to Venezuela in the near future unless you absolutely had to.


Cheap traveling and significant social unrest, what could go wrong?!

[Volk]

With my Colombian ID, I might as well paint a target in my head.

[Alexander]

Even so, I still think Caracas is a very expensive city, and with the economic problems it's probably a more dangerous place than ever to go

[Vicious]

Yeah Venezuela is on the verge of surpassing South Africa as the murder capital of the world which is an unheard of development in modern times.

It can all be traced to Chavez rule which has put an immense economical burden on the country.

[GameTheory]

(02-09-2013 07:20 PM)WestCoast Wrote:  

That's not really true brother, the illegal market is already well north of that, so it really doesn't help too much.

That place is still dangerous as f*ck from my recent intel as well.

If the illegal market radically changed then sure, overall based on checks wld not recommend though.

i heard black markets can reach 1USD=16BF, but the trick is how to tap in without getting killed ?

[GameTheory]

(02-09-2013 07:20 PM)WestCoast Wrote:  

That's not really true brother, the illegal market is already well north of that, so it really doesn't help too much.

That place is still dangerous as f*ck from my recent intel as well.

If the illegal market radically changed then sure, overall based on checks wld not recommend though.

i heard black markets can reach 1USD=16BF, but the trick is how to tap in without getting killed ?

[presidentcarter]

A Venezuelan au pair I met a few years ago told me she "loved!!" Chavez and didn't have any interest in my argument for how he's ruined the country. I just thought that was so bizarre.

[GameTheory]

black market update: 1USD is a little over 20BF now

econ collapse soon ?

[Cicero]

Caracas is a complete mess. It's very dangerous, dirty and still is expensive for visitors..I'm not sure if you lived there full time how the expenses stack up. Not worth it in my opinion. Would be curious to hear if there are any secondary cities that are more safe and filled with young venezuelans.

[presidentcarter]

"Currency devaluation is like peeing in bed. Feels good at first, then it's a mess."

[Cyclone]

This attracts me so much.

I was never afraid of "dangerous" cities, not sure why Venezuela would be any different. Hopefully my black hair and relatively short/thin stature wouldn't make me stand out too much *buys ticket*
.

[Mekorig]

(02-11-2013 04:50 PM)presidentcarter Wrote:  

A Venezuelan au pair I met a few years ago told me she "loved!!" Chavez and didn't have any interest in my argument for how he's ruined the country. I just thought that was so bizarre.

I meet a gorgeus venezuelan girl here in Buenos Aires, stuying in my University, and also loved Chavez, and was deaf to any argument against him. That is the power of propaganda.

[fman]

This is not uncommon. I use to live in Venezuela many years ago when Chavez was in prison for trying to over throw the government. People rallied behind him so strongly then.

In Cuba it seems like the poor people left on the island love Castro. The rich people that got away hate him.

This may not be a fair comparison, but when I talk to many people from ex-Yugoslavic republics they all say how much better it was under Communism than it is now being individual Capitalistic countries. They say now their is much poverty and getting worse.

I guess in both cases this isn't something we could truly understand unless we live it.

(02-12-2013 10:24 AM)Mekorig Wrote:  

(02-11-2013 04:50 PM)presidentcarter Wrote:  

A Venezuelan au pair I met a few years ago told me she "loved!!" Chavez and didn't have any interest in my argument for how he's ruined the country. I just thought that was so bizarre.

I meet a gorgeus venezuelan girl here in Buenos Aires, stuying in my University, and also loved Chavez, and was deaf to any argument against him. That is the power of propaganda.

[20Nation]

I was there in April and people would walk up to me telling me how brave I was to go there. Usually people in dangerous countries don't know their country is dangerous, but here they really do. In Colombia you have a good chance of getting robbed... "ok here's 25$". No problem. In venezuela you have a good chance of being kidnapped or murdered. I won't be going back any time soon because it's only getting worse.

Colombia is actually making it worse in Venezuela since they are pushing out the drug cartels. Most of them are just bribing military and police and going straight to Venezuela.

[Dulceácido]

I was considering going to the Margarita Islands... I wonder if that being a tourist trap, the security will be tighter. Anyone have any info on that area?

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

I've heard that Caracas is the most dangerous city in the world, far above even Kabul or Baghdad. Is that true?

[Volk]

(02-13-2013 07:38 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  

I've heard that Caracas is the most dangerous city in the world, far above even Kabul or Baghdad. Is that true?

It's in spanish but the list at the end is clear.

3rd worst. For all the flak that they get, Kabul and Baghdad don't even make the top 50.

[LaPastillaRoja]

(02-13-2013 07:20 AM)Dulceácido Wrote:  

I was considering going to the Margarita Islands... I wonder if that being a tourist trap, the security will be tighter. Anyone have any info on that area?

I'm also considering this.....although with the breadth of similar types of places available in SA I'm wondering if it's worth the risk....having said that would love to add a Venezuelan flag to the collection!

[elabayarde]

You know...my most serious girl friend grew up there in Caracus. Alot of her family is still there. I have been thinking about taking my first trip there with her and her family my first time to get a feel for things.

[JJ Roberts]

Does not make any difference

In Venezuala you never change hard currency at the "official rate" anyway

You take dollars, go to anywhere with a "compro oro" sign and chance your money on the black market

Last time I was there they gave you a rate that was 100% better than the official rate so this devaluation still is not enough to

Google Venezuala fx to see the correct market rate

[RougeNoir]

Anyone make the trip post-Chavez?

[tiggaling]

Venezuala is a tough place to be. I wouldn't recommend anyone commit to any length of time before going there for a few days and checking out what it is actually like and what the people are like.

[InternationPlayboy]

(02-09-2013 07:20 PM)WestCoast Wrote:  

That's not really true brother, the illegal market is already well north of that, so it really doesn't help too much.

That place is still dangerous as f*ck from my recent intel as well.

If the illegal market radically changed then sure, overall based on checks wld not recommend though.

Yep, this is true. There's no use at looking what the Bolivar is supposedly worth, because if you had half a brain in Venezuela you'd be buying your money from the black market. Plane tickets from the states are FUCKING expensive too. I was looking at going when I went to Colombia, but had to do Venezuela first, as my friend is from there and was only supposed to be out there for two weeks into my trip and then go back to the states. A one way ticket was $1500.