Bitcoiners, get ready to go BRR! This is the phrase with which you are invited to get to know the Bitcoin City that is at risk of disappearing now that the country’s CSJ made the decision to repeal the ZEDE because it considers them unconstitutional.
The beautiful Caribbean island of Roatán, known for its crystal-clear waters and rich pirate history, will become the epicenter of the Bitcoin Roatán Retreat challenge. There will be five days with relaxation activities, exploration and business opportunities. All of this, in one of the most bitcoin-friendly jurisdictions in the world: the special economic zone of Próspera.
Participants will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy a tropical atmosphere, while immersing themselves in the vibrant bitcoiner ecosystem that flourishes in Roatánbehind the back of the Honduran government, which this year banned banks from operating with bitcoin.
From the moment of arrival, attendees will be greeted by an environment in which bitcoin is considered a unit of account, allowing visitors to experience, first-hand, how the digital currency is integrated into daily life on the island. . Also Tourists will meet the BTC educational centerwhich locals recognize as a symbol of freedom.
In itself, what those attending the Bitcoin Roatán Retreat tour will find is a paradisiacal corner of the Caribbean, the island of Roatan, which is undergoing a unique transformation. It is happening in the middle of its turquoise waters and the second largest coral reef in the world, where The Amity Age Bitcoin community has set out to turn this destination into the “Bitcoin Island” of the region.
The Amity Age team has been working hard to encourage Bitcoin education and adoption. The community was established at the highest viewpoint on the island, where the bitcoin educational center also operates, a themed cafe based on the first cryptocurrency and the only BTC ATM that the archipelago has.
Until January 2024, Amity Age has managed to more than 60 merchants accept bitcoin as a payment method and has educated more than 2,500 people about Satoshi Nakamoto’s invention in Honduras. Likewise, they have organized numerous meetings and the innovative “Bitcoin Pirate Tours”, attracting both locals and tourists interested in learning more about this digital currency.
The community lives in synergy with the private city of Prospera, and together they believe they found a great treasure in Roatán. It is a metaphor for the pirate legacy that is said to persist in its territory, since it was an area roamed by looters and home of the famous Captain Henry Morganwho fought them bravely.
In Roatán, bitcoiners arm themselves with pirate patches
Given the pirate legacy that exists in Roatán, the Amity Age team believes they have learned strategies that pirates applied. One of the reasons behind this is that Digital Currency Enthusiasts Seen as “Modern Hackers”as they say.
They add that the pirates, according to the investigation, used patches to facilitate their adaptation between the intense light of the sun and the darkness of the ship’s hold when they were in full combat, hand-to-hand. This cunning allowed them to keep one eye ready to see in the dark, an ingenious strategy that surely contributed to their mythical reputation.
So, the bitcoiners of Roatán are convinced that the patches used by the pirates are necessary in the construction of a Bitcoin citadel, which is based on a parallel financial system that promotes freedom and autonomy.
“In this quest, it is crucial to arm ourselves with knowledge and tools that allow us to navigate the darkness, such as privacy and self-custody.” This is why Amity Age bitcoiners wear an eye patch, with which they ensure that they can navigate easily in the fiat and bitcoin worlds. As they indicate, the patch is also necessary to easily detect the differences that the centralization and decentralization of financial systems have, and at the same time, be prepared to defend themselves against any battle they must face.
A bitcoiner paradise under threat from the Honduran government
The Bitcoin Roatán Retreat challenge is proof that the Bitcoin City on the island of Roatán continues to function normally, despite the recent declaration of unconstitutionality of the Employment and Economic Development Zones (ZEDE) by the Supreme Court of Justice, which has generated strong controversy.
These ZEDEs, which allowed autonomous administration and tax exemptions, were supported by governments in the past, but Its repeal was launched with the arrival of Xiomara Castro to the presidency in 2022, by considering them as a transfer of sovereignty.
The Court’s ruling, which has retroactive effect, invalidated all regulations related to the ZEDE, which has raised concerns about legal stability and the adequate protection of acquired rights. Entrepreneurs, like Alex Ugorji, argue that this represents an unfair expropriation, since constitutional rights are being eliminated without due process.