“Venezuela’s CDS Is Now At The Same Level As Greece’s Three Months Before Its Default”

• “Venezuela’s CDS Is Now At The Same Level As Greece’s Three Months Before Its Default”
  by Tyler Durden, www.zerohedge.com 
  In addition to being a hyperinflating, socialist banana republic with a devastated economy Venezuela has another problem: debt,  of which it has some $70 billion with $9.5 billion due this year. It also has $15.4 billion in foreign reserves, of which two-thirds or around $10 billion, are held in gold bars, which as we said last week, “limits President Nicolas Maduro’s government’s ability to quickly mobilize hard currency for imports or debt service.”
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  Furthermore, with Venezuela oil prices in the low $20s, it is unclear if PDVSA can even cover its costs, let alone save up cash for debt repayment.
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  And while Venezuela recently enacted another gold swapthis time with Deutsche Bank to allow it to monetize its gold, it remains to be seen if the local population which has so far taken all the punishments unleashed by the Maduro reign stoically, will stand idly by as the ruling regime quietly liquidates its last remaining assets.
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  But while Venezuela’s upcoming default is not exactly news to anyone, the question remains “when” will it happen. Yes, the time is drawing close, but how close? 
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  Today we show one attempt at an answer, coming morbidly enough, from the very bank which will be holding Venezuela’s gold as part of the country’s gold swap – Deutsche Bank. This is what DB said:
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