Chavez Seeks Creative Financing Solution

Here is an interesting story. Apparently, the mafia (like the real Italian mafia) tried to get billions of dollars of credit lines from large banks. How did they try to go about this handy scheme? They tried to post Venezuelan bonds as collateral. Here is the part of story that should stick out...
"False Venezuelan bonds were authenticated by corrupt officials within the South American nation’s central bank, prosecutors said. "
Ah yes, just your average run of the mill corrupt South American bureaucrat looking to pad their state pension. I call bullshit. This is isn't about the mafia or some corrupt bureaucrat. This is coming from the top, from Chavez himself. He has stiffed the oil industry for billions, stolen their assets, and promises to take more. Nobody in their right mind would lend to him. So he's turning to partnerships with the likes of the Cosa Nostra to get "financing". There should be little doubt that Chavez was in cahoots with the mafia to defraud the banks, using the central bank to authenticate phony bonds to secure billions in lines of credit. The mafia would've gotten its cut, but Chavez would keep the bulk of the dough so he could keep the balls in the air a little longer. When this is how you are going about getting some liquidity, you are just about overdonecaputfinito - completely busted. I give Chavez two years at most.

More here.