"Blockchain tehcnology (BT) can make a significant contribution to the future development of Latin America. It provides a robust alternative to weak state authorities in the fight for democratically legitimised laws and standards that have only been applied to a limited extent, or not at all. BT could therefore provide democratic structures with a new legitimacy, especially in developing and emerging countries. The decentralised currency Bitcoin, which functions as a kind of alternative currency to those issued by politically misused central banks, is already a perfect example of this. However, the technology itself can also be abused, as evidenced by the increasing use of digital currencies by authoritarian regimes to circumvent international capital market barriers. It is also difficult to curb the trade in illegal goods. The fact that a blockchain never forgets also presents a potential problem. If public administrations or social media services, for example, opted to work on a blockchain basis, it would probably be very difficult to enforce a right to be forgotten. It is therefore vital for the future use of BT that free and democratic societies provide the greatest possible freedom in the ongoing development of the technology. This will require both political courage and trust." (Conclusion)