The Enigma Source

Staring into his computer screen, Mathias nodded his head as if making up his mind on a topic. Without moving his gaze from the screen he announced, “And there’s our next target: Venezuela. They’ve hosed up their economy so badly that their current inflation rate is 180%. The International Monetary Fund is predicting this year’s inflation rate to be over 700% and likely to soar to 2,068% in the next year.”

Dutch smirked while he commented, “Boy, talk about your over-achievers!”

Mathias gave his henchman a disapproving glance then returned his gaze to the screen while he continued, “Maduro is the current economic barbarian in a distinguished line of socialists who all believed more socialism would fix their situation. He subscribes to the classic definition of insanity. You know, doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.”

Dutch rolled his eyes, shrugged and agreed, “Sounds like a text book example of insanity to me.”

Mathias ignored the comment as he continued, “His plan was to make life as wonderful as it was at the end of World War II.” Mathias looked disgusted as he insisted, “Look at this! In the mid-1900s, Venezuela was an economically developed country with a stable democracy. In 1944, the purchasing power of the average Venezuelan was more than 10 times the current one. By 1950, Venezuela boasted South America’s second largest GDP per capita and seventh largest in the world. The wages of her workers were higher than those of most Western European wages.

“Hell, now they’ve gone from barely any inflation, at their peak in the 1940s, with their Bolívar currency one of the world’s most stable, to stratospheric inflation. They boasted a free market economy that grew 10% per year, to this near hopeless mess of a centralized government that believes confiscating and owning everything is the only solution.

“Ah good, they have done everything wrong they possibly could. This makes the timing perfect for us to intercede. Their centrally planned economy is imploding. The fools are drinking their own kool-aid and believe suspending private ownership due to temporary emergencies is perfectly justified and helpful.”

Dutch puzzled a moment before he asked, “There’s also some corrupt cronyism inside this government that we can exploit, right? We’re not just going in as caped-crusaders to help the poor downtrodden, are we? You know I hate that sort of role!”

Mathias shot Dutch another disapproving glance before he continued, “This is exactly what I was looking for. Another failing socialist government where we can make a grand entrance and solve their economic issues.

“People are starving, socialism has poisoned the country’s economic future, and inflation is heading for the stratosphere, so we can be in a position to bring order to the chaotic situation. My crypto-currency solution will be easier to introduce here than that last backwater country we tried, because there’s nothing for these poor fools to go back to. They can only go forward with our solution.

“Now, all I need is some corrupt high ranking official who wants in on the ground floor with us to launch the project.”

Dutch smirked and with a sarcastic overtone asked, “Gee, do you really think we will be able to find someone in this Venezuelan soup, with weak moral fiber and encrusted with all the wrong ethics of most politicians, who will support your plan?”

Mathias grinned as he reassured, “It’s what I’m counting on. I’m making the calls and setting up a meet based on a contact I just received. It feels like the perfect storm.”