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> World

Venezuela’s currency so worthless that locals weave goods out of it!

Hyperinflation led to the money being useless

Newsroom February 12 08:16

Street vendors in Venezuela are weaving baskets from banknotes after 13,000 per cent inflation rendered them practically worthless.
Inflation in the oil-rich Latin American nation has seen the economy spiral out of control, with its currency the Bolivar losing 87 per cent of its value against the euro.
Cash is worth so little there bank notes are often seen littered on the streets.
But street seller Wilmer Rojas has found a use for them.

The 25-year-old is selling origami-style handbags, purses, hats and baskets – all made out of money.

Closeup of a purse made by Venezuelan Wilmer Rojas, out of Bolivar banknotes in Caracas on January 30, 2018. A young Venezuelan tries to make a living out of devalued Bolivar banknotes by making crafts with them.  / AFP PHOTO / FEDERICO PARRA / TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Margioni BERMUDEZ

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Mr Rojas, a father-of-three, said: ‘People throw them away because they are no good to buy anything.
‘No one even accepts them anymore.
‘You can use magazine paper or newspaper pulp, but currency notes are better because they are not worth anything, they are all the same size and you don’t have to waste time cutting them.

View of devalued Bolivar bills painted by Venezuelan illustrator Jose Leon at his workshop in San Cristobal, Venezuela on February 2, 2018. Using devalued Bolivar bills as raw material, this Venezuelan young artist found the way to make a living, increasing the value of the currency up to 5000%, by selling his artworks to foreign customers. / AFP PHOTO / GEORGE CASTELLANOS / TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Margioni BERMUDEZ
‘These things are no good for buying anything. At least I am putting them to good use rather than throwing them away.’
With two, five and 10 bolivar notes ‘you can’t even buy a piece of candy’, he added.

more at dailymail.co.uk

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