The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup

A recap of a selective summit reshaping US ties in Latin America and the new security coalition being built. Discussion of which countries were invited or left out and why that diplomatic signal matters. Examination of anti‑cartel strategies, framing crime as a security threat, and which jurisdictions may become more investable. Practical implications for expats and investors considering early moves.

They recap a high-energy Wealth, Freedom & Passports conference in Panama City and the real-world networking and vendors attendees met. They discuss rising geopolitical tensions from Iran to shifts in U.S. policy affecting the Americas. They debate safety and livability in places like Mexico and reflect on strategies for family-based wealth stewardship and fast-track residency options.

For a time, Ecuador was one of South America’s most attractive expat destinations; low cost of living, a great climate, a dollarized economy and straightforward residency pathways. ….then crime exploded, and Ecuador stopped feeling like a country with expat upside… Until Daniel Noboa stepped in. In today’s episode, I break down one of the most important political shifts happening in Latin America right now: Ecuador under President Daniel Noboa. The country is not “fixed,” but the trajectory appears to be shifting… and for investors, expats, and serious Plan-B thinkers, trajectory is what matters most.   Enjoy today’s episode!   IN TODAY’S EPISODE Tune in to learn why Noboa’s “internal armed conflict” declaration changed the trajectory of Ecuador’s security crisis… and how his approach compares with Bukele’s El Salvador model.Is 38 too young to run a country? Hear my take on Ecuador having a President who’s so young (even younger than me, believe it or not!)Find out why China remains economically relevant - and what that means for energy, infrastructure, and fiscal recovery inside the countryCould Ecuador realistically re-emerge as a serious expat destination? Hear my thoughts on what needs to happen first.    STAY IN TOUCH! Stay informed about the latest news affecting the expat world and receive a steady stream of my thoughts and opinions on geopolitics by subscribing to our newsletter. You will receive the EMS Pulse® newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times; sign up now and receive my FREE special report, “Plan-B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”   RELATED EPISODES 394: Panama City’s Crypto-Friendly Mayor: The Mayer Mizrachi Story 384: Panama’s Adult in the Room: President José Raúl Mulino 365: The Bukele Effect: Inside El Salvador’s Radical Transformation  Mentioned in this episode:Gold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverNo Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning CoursesGold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverNo Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning CoursesJoin Me In Panama For Our Next TourI have great news. After many meetings and explanations, the Panamanian government has agreed to keep the Investors Visa at a $300k Real Estate investment instead of nearly doubling the amount required, as they said they would. This is a massive win for our community who wants to move to or invest in Panama, but I am not sure how long this will last… If you have been thinking about Panama, then I want to make an invitation to you today. Come join me for a special four-day tour to see if the country I call home is right for you and your family. We have just released the next set of trip dates. You can find out more at ExpatMoney.com/fly. Come visit me and the Expat Money team, get a feel for the country and see if Panama makes sense for investment or as a new home.Panama Fly'n Buy Real Estate Tour

Gerold Pankl, a long-term foreign investor who has lived and built in Paraguay for nearly 20 years. He describes Paraguay’s infrastructure boom, from bridges and highways to airports and potential rail. He highlights Nueva Asunción’s rapid development and why low costs, favorable taxes, and strategic location are drawing foreigners to secure early upside.

In today's episode, we pick up where we left off with my friend and business partner, Fernando de Cevallos, for a live Q&A session about the transformation happening inside Paraguay’s most important region. This discussion followed the special live presentation we hosted for hundreds of members of the Expat Money Community. We cover everything from expected net returns and capital appreciation expectations to the development timeline… and, of course, we discuss the ownership benefits that extend beyond the financial side of things.  Enjoy today's episode!   IN TODAY’S EPISODE Why the “Madrid” comparison matters: it’s not about bragging rights, it’s about the finishing that pulls high-quality tenants and strengthens demandThe two exit paths almost every investor ignores (and why the wrong one can trap your capital longer than you planned)How this region of Paraguay fits into a larger economic story, why it’s a magnet for jobs, services, and growing businessesThe difference between just buying “a unit” and buying into a micro-market, and why a micro-market is where the REAL money is made…How the benefits thatdon’tshow up on a spreadsheet are the ones that actually drive the long-term value we all seek   STAY IN TOUCH! Stay informed about the latest news affecting the expat world and receive a steady stream of my thoughts and opinions on geopolitics by subscribing to our newsletter. You will receive the EMS Pulse® newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times; sign up now and receive my FREE special report, “Plan-B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”   WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE, MARCH 6-7, 2026 Join us in Panama City from March 6-7, 2026, for our second annual in-person event, the Wealth, Freedom and Passports Conference! Space is very limited, so reserve your tickets right away.   RELATED EPISODES 395: The Rise Of Paraguay's Fastest-Growing Investment Corridor - Part 1 360: Paraguay: Economic Backbones Of A Rising Nation 355: Santiago Peña’s Paraguay: Latin America’s New Freedom FrontierMentioned in this episode:No Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning CoursesGold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverNo Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning CoursesGold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverJoin Me In Panama For Our Next TourI have great news. After many meetings and explanations, the Panamanian government has agreed to keep the Investors Visa at a $300k Real Estate investment instead of nearly doubling the amount required, as they said they would. This is a massive win for our community who wants to move to or invest in Panama, but I am not sure how long this will last… If you have been thinking about Panama, then I want to make an invitation to you today. Come join me for a special four-day tour to see if the country I call home is right for you and your family. We have just released the next set of trip dates. You can find out more at ExpatMoney.com/fly. Come visit me and the Expat Money team, get a feel for the country and see if Panama makes sense for investment or as a new home.Panama Fly'n Buy Real Estate Tour

Fernando de Cevallos, a Spanish entrepreneur and property developer driving major projects in Paraguay’s Alto Paraná. He discusses why capital is clustering there, the region’s infrastructure and trade tailwinds, and a bold Ciudad Nueva urban plan. Short, concrete takes on timing, demand drivers, and what makes this place ripe for rapid growth.

Most politicians talk about reform, but there are very few who actually pick up a shovel and start filling potholes themselves. And in the case of Panama City’s Mayor, Mayer Mizrachi, he’s done exactly that.  In today’s episode, I’ll share with you the story of Panama City’s young, savvy, crypto-friendly Mayor. He’s no career politician, not by a longshot. He’s a tech entrepreneur and a former political prisoner. Now, he’s reshaping one of Latin America’s most strategic capital cities with a pro-business, pro-Bitcoin, “roll up your sleeves and get it done” mindset. Enjoy today’s episode!   IN TODAY’S EPISODE Listen in as I break down how Mayer Mizrachi went from tech entrepreneur and political outsider to Mayor of Panama CityTune in to learn how he cut the city budget from $325M to $230M while slashing nearly half the staffFind out why Mizrachi sees crypto not as ideology, but as infrastructureLearn, under Mizrachi, Panama City  is positioning itself as a forward-looking hub for technology, capital, and innovation STAY IN TOUCH! Stay informed about the latest news affecting the expat world and receive a steady stream of my thoughts and opinions on geopolitics by subscribing to our newsletter. You will receive the EMS Pulse® newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times; sign up now and receive my FREE special report, “Plan-B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”   WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE, MARCH 6-7, 2026 Join us in Panama City from March 6-7, 2026, for our second annual in-person event, the Wealth, Freedom and Passports Conference! Space is very limited, so reserve your tickets right away.   RELATED EPISODES 393: Panama: Why Timing Matters More Than Ever for Residency 387: The Leaders Shaping Latin America’s Shift Toward Freedom 384: President José Raúl Mulino: Panama’s Adult in the RoomMentioned in this episode:No Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning CoursesJoin Me In Panama For Our Next TourI have great news. After many meetings and explanations, the Panamanian government has agreed to keep the Investors Visa at a $300k Real Estate investment instead of nearly doubling the amount required, as they said they would. This is a massive win for our community who wants to move to or invest in Panama, but I am not sure how long this will last… If you have been thinking about Panama, then I want to make an invitation to you today. Come join me for a special four-day tour to see if the country I call home is right for you and your family. We have just released the next set of trip dates. You can find out more at ExpatMoney.com/fly. Come visit me and the Expat Money team, get a feel for the country and see if Panama makes sense for investment or as a new home.Panama Fly'n Buy Real Estate TourGold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverGold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch ItFiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/goldOffshore Gold & SilverNo Plan-B Without the LanguageIf you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s protection. It’s access. It’s power. StoryLearning makes it easy to start today, from home, by immersing you in real stories—not grammar drills. Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more—learn the language the smart way before you land. Go to StoryLearningCourses.com.Story Learning Courses

They explain why Panama is suddenly attracting serious interest from freedom-minded expats and investors. They outline how real estate offers the clearest path to residency right now. They break down the Qualified Investor Visa timing and looming investment minimum changes. They highlight practical lead-times, translation bottlenecks, and how in-person tours and conferences speed the process.

Mailyn Salabarria, a Cuban-born entrepreneur and communicator who fled Cuba as an adult, shares firsthand accounts of life under Cuban communism. She discusses how the regime maintains power, Cuba’s global propaganda and security networks, whether Cuba could follow Venezuela’s path, and what rebuilding a post-communist Cuba would demand.

They dissect two striking Davos speeches and what they reveal about global power and trust. They explore a sudden push for national self-sufficiency in food, water, and energy. They unpack negotiation theater around Greenland and the strategic value of rare earths. They examine a new hemisphere-first doctrine and the economic consequences of onshoring and tariffs.