The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup

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 City
Tune in to learn how he cut the city budget from $325M to $230M while slashing nearly half the staff
Find out why Mizrachi sees crypto not as ideology, but as infrastructure
Learn, 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 Room

Many people falsely assume residency programs will be there when they’re “ready.” In reality, these programs are always evolving: investment thresholds rise, processes become more complicated, and what was once straightforward becomes harder and more expensive to achieve the same outcome.

In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I break down why Panama is seeing a surge of serious interest right now, what we learned from our recent Fly’n Buy tours, and exactly how the Qualified Investor Visa works through real estate investment. We also explain why acting sooner matters…before a major price rise right around the corner. 


IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Listen in as we break down why Panama has become such an attractive destination for freedom-minded expats and investors
Tune in to hear why Panama’s regulatory environment is quietly creating advantages in areas like private medicine and longevity services
Find out why real estate investment represents the cleanest, simplest path to Panama residency for those ready to act now
Learn how the Qualified Investor Visa works in practice and why the investment minimum is set tonearly doublelater this year



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

Come see Panama for yourself and join us from March 6-7, 2026, for our second annual Wealth, Freedom and Passports Conference! Prices go up after February 15th, and space is very limited, so reserve your tickets right away.


RELATED EPISODES

387: The Leaders Shaping Latin America’s Shift Toward Freedom

384: President José Raúl Mulino: Panama’s Adult in the Room

377: Building an International Plan-B While Still Living in the U.S.Mentioned in this episode:
Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference
No Plan-B Without the Language
If you’re planning to

After the fall of Maduro in Venezuela, the next question on the mind of many is, “Is Cuba next?” 

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Mailyn Salabarria, a Cuban refugee who left the island as an adult to rebuild her life in the United States. Mailyn and I discuss what the upheaval in Venezuela could mean for Cuba, how the regime maintains power, and what it would take to rebuild a post-Communist Cuba. Enjoy!


IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Listen in as Mailyn shares her personal story of what life was really like growing up in Communist Cuba 
Tune in to hear Mailyn’s take on what the recent U.S. action in Venezuela could mean for Cuba, and why the communist regime in Havana continues to be a central influence on the region.
Find out how Cuba exports regime propaganda around the world, and how it functions as a “Kabuki theatre” for international audiences
Hear Mailyn’s view on how a post-Communist Cuba would have to go about “relearning” freedom


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, and prices will be rising on February 15th. Reserve your tickets right away.

 
RELATED EPISODES

391: Davos: What Trump And Carney’s Speeches Really Mean

388: Trump Arrests Maduro: What Does It Mean For Latin America?

387: The Leaders Shaping Latin America’s Shift Toward FreedomMentioned in this episode:
Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference
No Plan-B Without the Language
If 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...

The annual gathering of global elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos is usually an easy skip. It typically features a parade of bureaucrats and technocrats, both elected and unelected, proudly touting their plans for “managing the world.” But this year, there were a couple of particularly interesting speeches from two world leaders who stand in stark opposition to one another. 

In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I break down the Davos speeches from U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and why Carney’s in particular was quite surprising to hear. 


IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Listen in as Marc and I break down Mark Carney’s admission that the so-called “rules-based order” has always been a mirage
Tune in to hear how Canada’s PM stood on a global stage in Davos and echoed ideas we’ve been hammering for years: self-sufficiency, independence, and the end of blind trust in global systems
Marc and I look at Trump’s speech and how his chaos-driven, “Art of the Deal” seemingly achieved his desired result regarding Greenland
Learn what the “Donroe Doctrine” and Trump’s push to reindustrialize the U.S. mean for the future of Latin America



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! Prices go up after February 15th, and space is very limited, so reserve your tickets right away.


RELATED EPISODES

390: Trump’s Greenland Push And A Shifting World Order

388: Trump Arrests Maduro: What Does It Mean For Latin America?

382: Doug Casey’s Crystal Ball for 2026: The One Conversation You Can’t Afford to MissMentioned in this episode:
No Plan-B Without the Language
If you’re planning to move overseas—or even just set up your offshore Plan-B—learning the local language isn’t optional. It’s...

Trump has once again brought the subject of the U.S. acquiring Greenland to the forefront and is being louder than ever about its necessity. What once seemed like a joke of a headline is now being seriously entertained as a potential political reality. 

In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I break down Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, what it signals about Europe's direction, and how it fits into a broader repositioning of the geopolitical order. We also touch on a few other stories in the ever–changing landscape of global mobility, including St. Kitts tightening its CBI, new U.S. visa bond requirements, and more. 


IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Listen in as Marc and I discuss Trump’s Greenland play and what was once a wild headline may become an inevitability 
Tune in to hear why we believe Europe is becoming increasingly irrelevant and what that means going forward
Find out what changed with St. Kitts CBI, in another strong reminder toact swiftly and urgentlybefore programs change their requirements. 
Learn how the U.S.'s new visa bond requirements are another signal of a rapidly changing world order



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

388: Trump Arrests Maduro: What Does It Mean For Latin America?

384: President José Raúl Mulino: Panama’s Adult in the Room

382: Doug Casey’s Crystal Ball for 2026: The One Conversation You Can’t Afford to MissMentioned in this episode:
Gold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch It
Fiat 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...