The $755 Condom Pack Is the Latest Indignity in Venezuela

[CC27]

Bacchus4.0 (4,854 posts)

The $755 Condom Pack Is the Latest Indignity in Venezuela


Source: Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/the-755-condom-is-the-latest-indignity-in-venezuela

Venezuelans who already must line up for hours to buy chicken, sugar, medicines and other basic products in short supply now face a new indignity: Condoms are hard to find and nearly impossible to afford.

“The country is so messed up that now we have to wait in line even to have sex,” lamented Jonatan Montilla, a 31-year-old advertising company art director. “This is a new low.”

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Venezuela had the third-fastest rate of HIV infections per capita in South America, after Paraguay and Brazil in 2013, United Nations data shows. The country also has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies on the continent after Guyana, at 83 per 1,000, according to 2012 data from the World Bank. This compares to just 4 per 1,000 in Germany and 31 in the U.S.

On the auction website MercadoLibre, used by Venezuelans to obtain scarce goods, a 36-pack of Trojans sells for 4,760 bolivars ($755 at the official exchange rate), close to the country’s minimum monthly wage of 5,600 bolivars. At the unofficial black-market rate used by people with access to dollars, the cost is about $25, compared to $21 in the U.S.


Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/the-755-condom-is-the-latest-indignity-in-venezuela

 

Manifest Destiny (64 posts)
4. Bloomberg has turned into a non stop propaganda outfit.

They are the New York Post of so called financial information sources. They usually run 4 anti-Putin/Russia stories a day. Now they are onto Venezuela. Read the comment section and one can see that even regular traders think they have become a propaganda bullhorn.

 
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141006007

[Carl]

Just tax the rich more to pay for them. </DUmbass>

[Skul]

Perhaps they could find some used ones on MercadoLibre, yes?

Uffda  what am I thinking. Just turn them inside out. Good to go.   

[delilahmused]

I thought anti Russian was a good thing. Only right wingers like Putin. At least that's been the narrative.

Cindie

[jukin]

Pretty sure that this failure of socialism/fascism/communism/progressivism is all due to the Tea Party and white men.

[Maxiest]

Bacchus4.0 has to be a mole...  Why would one at DU post such a story the reflects negative on the such a great example of Socialism?

[JohnnyReb]

Still cheaper than the f***ing  the democrats are putting on taxpayers.

[obumazombie]

The libs get so depressed when they see another shining example of socialism failing right before their lying eyes.

[zeitgeist]

{snip}36-pack of Trojans sells for 4,760 bolivars ($755 at the official exchange rate), close to the country’s minimum monthly wage of 5,600 bolivars. At the unofficial black-market rate used by people with access to dollars, the cost is about $25, compared to $21 in the U.S. {snip]

Let's see if I have this right ....  36 condoms cost $25 dollars US or $25.00/36= $.69 per condom.  In the US it would be $21.00/36=$.58 per condom?  Have I got that about right?  Good.  Now if you look at the cost in bolivars it is 4760/ 36= or 132 bolivars per condom and if one condom = $.69 then what is the relative value of a bolivar?  $.69/132=$ 0.005 .  If the bolivar is equal to about $.005 then 5600 * $0.005 means the monthly wage is about $29.00 per month.  If the average month contains 160 hours then $29.00 / 160 =$0.181 per hour.  As we can see the answer is they need to raise the minimum wage.

[thundley4]

Let's see if I have this right ....  36 condoms cost $25 dollars US or $25.00/36= $.69 per condom.  In the US it would be $21.00/36=$.58 per condom?  Have I got that about right?  Good.  Now if you look at the cost in bolivars it is 4760/ 36= or 132 bolivars per condom and if one condom = $.69 then what is the relative value of a bolivar?  $.69/132=$ 0.005 .  If the bolivar is equal to about $.005 then 5600 * $0.005 means the monthly wage is about $29.00 per month.  If the average month contains 160 hours then $29.00 / 160 =$0.181 per hour.  As we can see the answer is they need to raise the minimum wage.

They are going to raise it.

Venezuela to raise minimum wage by 30%, Maduro says

Venezuela will raise the minimum wage by 30% on 1 May, President Nicolas Maduro has announced.

He said he would also raise pensions by the same amount.

The increase is below the level of annual inflation, which official figures put at 56.2% for 2013.

The announcement comes after almost three months of mass protests against Mr Maduro's government triggered by rising inflation, shortages of some basic goods and a high crime rate.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27219014

That will give them a reason to celebrate May Day this year. 

 

[obumazombie]

Let's see if I have this right ....  36 condoms cost $25 dollars US or $25.00/36= $.69 per condom.  In the US it would be $21.00/36=$.58 per condom?  Have I got that about right?  Good.  Now if you look at the cost in bolivars it is 4760/ 36= or 132 bolivars per condom and if one condom = $.69 then what is the relative value of a bolivar?  $.69/132=$ 0.005 .  If the bolivar is equal to about $.005 then 5600 * $0.005 means the monthly wage is about $29.00 per month.  If the average month contains 160 hours then $29.00 / 160 =$0.181 per hour.  As we can see the answer is they need to raise the minimum wage.

Sandra Fluke is the real one to ask.

[Vagabond]

I thought anti Russian was a good thing. Only right wingers like Putin. At least that's been the narrative.

Cindie

The lefties are now all up in arms about the US giving weapons to Ukraine to fight the Russians.  The Russians called the Ukrainians a bunch of Nazis and leftist and liberals have beenhung up on that ever since.  Compare Putin at least seeming to like the country he rules more than Obama likes the country he governs and you are an evil right winger.  Support Ukraine against Russian imperialism and you are an evil right winger.