The Bitcoin Way Podcast

Panama’s Bitcoin Mayor with Mayer Mizrachi | Ep. #106

Mar 6, 2026
Guest
Mayer Mizrachi
Mayer Mizrachi, mayor of Panama City and former tech entrepreneur who built encrypted messaging tools, tells his story. He recounts winning office with a startup mindset. He covers being jailed in Colombia, how frozen bank accounts led him to Bitcoin, using the city as a Bitcoin sandbox, and pitching Panama as a tech and Bitcoin-friendly hub.
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ADVICE

Run Government Like A Startup

  • Run government like a startup: test, pilot, and ship fast to prove concept quickly.
  • Mayer fixed visible problems (e.g., potholes) instead of paid ads, using small wins to undercut rivals and build credibility.
ANECDOTE

Encrypted Startup Led To Political Persecution

  • Cryptex was an encrypted messaging and Gmail plugin Mayer built that landed a government licensing deal in Panama.
  • A change in administration turned that contract into a political weapon, dragging Mayer into lawsuits and political persecution.
ANECDOTE

Six Months In Colombian Prison Over False Red Notice

  • While traveling to Colombia in December 2015, Mayer was arrested under a false Interpol Red Notice and spent six months in a Colombian maximum-security prison.
  • Interpol later expunged the notice after Panama failed to supply valid evidence.
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