El Salvador mandates Bitcoin usage via Chivo wallet…or so it seems

During the last day preceding the controversial Bitcoin (BTC) legislation coming into effect in El Salvador, the legal advisor to the presidency, Javier Argueta, got caught in the local media web as contradictory statements about the obligation of entrepreneurs to use the government’s official digital wallet, dubbed Chivo, flooded the headlines.

As a consequence, the legal advisor to the presidency responded on Twitter, claiming that his explanation was falsely reported and wrongly interpreted, demanding rectification.

Different media amplifying the explanation

In the morning television interview, Frente a Frente, Argueta was asked about the obligations that entrepreneurs have in relation to article 7 of the Bitcoin Law.

As interpreted by some local media, including elsalvador.com, the official has stated that businessmen who do not use Chivo wallet and refuse Bitcoin transactions will be sanctioned.

Aclaración:

#ElSalvador | A pregunta del entrevistador: “Entonces, ¿a lo que yo estoy obligado es a tener la billetera electrónica?”, Javier Argueta respondió: “A tener la billetera electrónica, que los costos son ínfimos y la del Estado es gratis”.https://t.co/8m3GtnAjNI pic.twitter.com/XgEtTUKG0O

— elsalvador.com (@elsalvadorcom) September 6, 2021

El Mundo, a daily morning newspaper in El Salvador also reported on the news, amplifying Argueta’s explanation.

#EnVivo | En la entrevista @Frentea_Frente Javier Argueta, asesor jurídico de la Presidencia, dice que los empresarios que no hagan uso de la billetera Chivo y se nieguen a hacer transacciones con bitcoin están sujetos a sanciones de la ley del Consumidor. https://t.co/6e8VRPDixL

— Diario El Mundo (@ElMundoSV) September 6, 2021

“What I am obliged to do is to have an electronic wallet,” the host asked Argueta, who  confirmed, by saying “to have an electronic wallet.”

The legal advisor to the presidency further explained that “the State has provided a wallet called Chivo,” underscoring it being free and available to everyone.

“The State has granted this facility so that all entrepreneurs, large or small, have that facility,” Argueta said, while reiterating the obligation to agree to carry out any transaction in Bitcoin, but not to receive the cryptocurrency.

Demanding rectification

As a response, Argueta confronted the local media on Twitter, requesting that elsalvador.com rectifies the allegedly false statements.

“I request that the tweet be corrected or lowered,” he added.

#LoÚltimoLNSV | El asesor jurídico de la Presidencia, @gomez_argueta, ha solicitado a @elsalvadorcom que rectifique declaraciones que se le han adjudicado a su nombre, las cuales no ha realizado. “Solicito que se corrija o baje el tuit”, dijo aludiendo al derecho de rectificación https://t.co/JnX1eMKMRC

— La Noticia SV (@lanoticiasv) September 6, 2021

“I did not say that the Chivo wallet is an obligation for companies, but an additional option,” clarified Argueta in a follow-up interview with Radio YSKL, adding “what article 7 says is that the transaction is mandatory, but you decide whether to take Bitcoin or dollars.”

“No dije que la Chivo Wallet es obligación para las empresas, sino una opción más”: @gomez_argueta, Asesor Jurídico de la Presidencia es el invitado de hoy. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/hVNgKeu0nw

— Radio YSKL 📻 💻 📲 (@radioyskl) September 6, 2021

One thing is certain, El Salvador is not lacking any tension, nor attention lately. 

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