×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Friday
30
Jan 2026
weather symbol
Athens 13°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> 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

>Related articles

The signatures were finalized for the first agreement to sell US LNG to Ukraine

Mitsotakis: Tax cuts mean wage increases – We said it, we did it!

Abramovich denies his connection to Deutsche Bank investigations: ‘He is not a suspect’ says his spokesman

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

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#Annual inflation#currency#economy#money#venezuela
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

The signatures were finalized for the first agreement to sell US LNG to Ukraine

January 30, 2026

Mitsotakis: In order to be a prosperous and democratic country, we must be safe – Citizens accept that defense spending is necessary

January 30, 2026

Severe bad weather arriving over the weekend: When storms will hit Attica – Warning for six regions

January 30, 2026

More than 3.5 million Epstein case documents made public: Andrew’s email about a “beautiful” 26-year-old Russian woman, 3,200 references to Trump

January 30, 2026

Communication between Gerapetritis and Rubio: Focus on the 6th round of the Strategic Dialogue in Athens

January 30, 2026

Syria: ‘Closed security zone’ declared in Al Hall camp, where relatives of Islamic State members live

January 30, 2026

Mitsotakis: Tax cuts mean wage increases – We said it, we did it!

January 30, 2026

Luigi Manzione does not face the death penalty for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO

January 30, 2026
All News

> Economy

The signatures were finalized for the first agreement to sell US LNG to Ukraine

The first cargo to arrive at Revithoussa will be sent to Ukraine in March

January 30, 2026

Stock Exchange: Monthly rise of 9.15% and 7th consecutive weekly rise

January 30, 2026

WD-40: The ultimate commercial success and the big secret

January 30, 2026

Salary increases from tax cuts credited to bank accounts today: Who benefits the most, see examples

January 30, 2026

ELSTAT: Unemployment fell to 7.5% in December

January 29, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα