An interesting thing I saw in Panama this morning

[PJMcK]

2. President Mulino is in a tight spot

He is conservative but he wants to maintain his country’s independence. He has a workable relationship with Trump but he’s determined to keep the Canal under Panamanian control. You might find this article from today interesting:

https://newsroompanama.com/2026/01/30/mulino-announces-panama-canal-plan-after-court-ruling-on-panama-ports-company/

One thing impressive about Panama is its banking systems are rock solid. I believe this is because of strict reforms implemented following Noriega’s ouster many years ago.

In general, the economy is stable but much, much lower than the U.S. Prices for most goods and services are at least 35-40% lower than in the States for mostly the same products. Medical care is excellent at profoundly lower costs. For example, several years ago in NYC, my wife developed a very painful ear problem one weekend when the doctors’ offices were closed. I took her to the local ER where her ear was irrigated and she was given medication drops. Because I hadn’t reached my deductible, the bill was $1,500. Last summer in Panama, she had a recurrence and the local clinic performed the same procedures. The bill was $15! Many expats don’t carry medical insurance except for catastrophic issues because it’s less expensive to pay out of pocket than pay premiums.