The Expat Files: Living in Latin America

Johnny announces his week-long Latin American Insider seminar in Guatemala and El Salvador (November 13–20, 2026).Go toExpatplanb.com for signup details: NOTE the early-bird discount deadline for the seminar has been moved up to September 20. Earlybird signups get $1,000 off the regular price (plus another $1,000 for repeat attendees). Early Spanish learners usually master nouns first but struggle with verbs, making real sentences difficult. The advice is not to fear “murdering” the language—Latinos are generally very tolerant of foreigners’ clumsy attempts. Many expats hit a language plateau where their Spanish works well with a Latino partner (who adapts to their particular errors) but is still hard for outsiders to fully understand. A 2025 Latino Barómetro poll showed very high percentages of people in several Latin American countries view immigration to their own countries as dangerous and harmful (Peru 80.4%, Ecuador 80.2%, Panama 76.7%, Colombia 76.3%). Argentina was the most accepting of immigrants at only 27% of people polled having negative feelings toward immigrants. The strong general negative views are largely driven by the huge Venezuelan migrant wave that began around 2017. A 12 year Yale study of thousands of adults over 50 yrs found that reading books for 30+ minutes a day was linked to living about two years longer than non book readers (the benefit did not apply to reading newspapers, magazines, or online articles). According to trans-national corporation Siemens, the Latin American countries with the worst power grids (25–35% transmission losses, frequent outages and brownouts) are Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Brazil. Chile has the strongest grid, largely due to its foreign maintained and financed mining industry. Nicaraguan president/dictator Daniel Ortega recently stated there will be no more elections and that he and his wife will continue to rule. The top IMF world debtors include Argentina (#1 at ~$42.5 billion), Ukraine, Pakistan, and surprisingly Ecuador (#4), a popular retirement destination for expats. Be sure to pick up my newly updated, "2026 - LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT": The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest "Stem Cell Clinic" info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com

Johnny’supcoming week-long “Latin American Insider Seminar” will be in Guatemala and El Salvador (November 13–20, 2026). For details go to Expatplanb.com or click on: https://www.expatplanb.com/expat-insider-seminar-nov-2026/ Only a handful of Latin American countries (Chile, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica) actively enforce mandatory yearly vehicle technical inspections; most others have the laws but rarely enforce them. Annual vehicle registration stickers (“marbetes”) are required everywhere and are usually obtained at banks after paying taxes and any outstanding tickets. Many expats avoid sticking the ugly yearly marbete on the windshield and simply keep it in the glove compartment; police rarely care as long as you can show proof of payment. Traffic tickets in Latin America are cheap compared with the U.S.; fighting them is possible but often wastes more time than the fine is worth. A listener email from Panama contrasts the high cost and entitlement culture of U.S. dating/weddings with the much lower cost and more appreciative attitude of a Latina spouse in Panama. One of the biggest attractions of living in Latin America (especially off the tourist trail) is a slower, less stressful, more manageable lifestyle. Johnny criticizes expats who constantly complain and try to force Latin culture to match their home-country expectations instead of adapting. Listeners praise Grok AI for giving more direct, less politically correct answers than ChatGPT. A warning about recent data breaches involving Ledger and Trezor hardware-wallet customer mailing lists, leading to phishing emails and fake official-looking letters. Be sure to pick up my newly updated, "2026 - LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT": The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest "Stem Cell Clinic" info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com

· Avoid Facebook expat groups — they create a dependency bubble full of know-it-alls, sellers, and political ranting. · WhatsApp is essential in Latin America; without it you’re basically cut off from daily life. · Machetes are common and rarely used for crime except crimes of passion. · Cleaning staff often salvage useful items from your trash and may open their purses for inspection when leaving. · Most toilets are cemented rather than properly bolted to the floor to save time and money. · Cheap steel screws rust rapidly in the tropics; stainless steel is rarely used by local contractors. · Peruvian flute bands mysteriously appear in every tourist-heavy park around the world selling CDs no one will ever play. · Boa constrictors almost never kill people, but venomous snakes still cause several hundred deaths a year in Latin America, especially in rural areas. Be sure to pick up my newly updated, “2026 – LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT”: The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest “Stem Cell Clinic” info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com

#1- DYK that severe Air B&B restrictions are in the works in most all Latin American countries? So, as govts. crack down, Gringos and expats must be aware that owning an Airbnb is NOT a long term good or sure investment anymore... #2- DYK Costa Rica has double the minimum wage of most all other Latin American countries, and they enforce it: That means in the rest of Latin America you can get 2 cleaning ladies for the price of a single Costa Rican maid… #3- What laws do Latin American cops actually crack down on or seem to enforce? #4- Homeowner’s insurance policies in Latin America: #5- Emotional support animals and their whimpy owners in Argentina: #6- About that rat's nest of wires you're seeing on the nearest power pole: #7- My Book Review of a brand new must read called, “ THE GRINGO ADVANTAGE” Finally… there is an actual no BS step by step guide to getting out of dodge... #8- Be sure to pick up my newly updated, "2026 - LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT": The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest "Stem Cell Clinic" info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com