European conquistadors once came to Latin America to rob the indigenous population of its gold. Today, people from the global North are coming again. This time, they claim to be bringing gold with them. Digital gold, that is. Namely, Bitcoin.
While here in Europe, cryptocurrency is perceived by many as a speculative object with a dubious reputation, in the global South it is seen as an opportunity. Why is that? The documentary "Bitcoin in Latin America" takes an exciting road trip through Guatemala and El Salvador.
The Bitcoin utopia promises more financial participation, the expansion of infrastructure through green mining, and new investors attracted by mega-projects like the planned "Bitcoin City" in El Salvador. But what lies behind these promises?
In Guatemala, a U.S. citizen and former military doctor in picturesque Panajachel is trying to mine gold from trash through Bitcoins. But doesn't that sound too good to be true? In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele even introduced the Bitcoin as a second state currency - one year later, however, there was less and less evidence of Bitcoin living up to the hype. Is the Bitcoin utopia just that - a dream, without any bearing on reality? Or can it actually change something?
#documentary #dwdocumentary #bitcoin #latinamerica
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