(Author’s note: In this takeI offer an interpretation of recent events in Guatemala through the lens of someone on the ground in the country.)
On November 10, X for El Salvador Bitcoin Office posted The following meme:
It seemed harmless enough. I know I didn’t think much of it when I encountered it. I remember laughing when I saw it and then going about my day.
However, a week ago, one of my colleagues, a prominent Guatemalan Bitcoiner, shared with me that the meme had gone viral in Guatemala. And not just a bunch of retweets-type viral — more viral like wildfire.
Many Guatemalans, especially Guatemalan Bitcoiners, are fans of Bukele. So, when Bitcoin Office jokingly hinted that Buckel was thinking of buying Guatemala, the reaction from many in the country was essentially “good.”
This put the powers that be in the country on their heels, catalyzing the highest levels in the Guatemalan government and the Central Bank of Guatemala to begin exploring Bitcoin.
My source tells me it’s possible that this could result in the Guatemalan government and central bank accepting bitcoin’s value and offering proper guidance to banks and other institutions that want to keep the asset on their balance sheets. are
I plan to speak with more people on the ground to provide more substantive reporting in the coming weeks.
This article is a take. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
