#863 – Episode 863: U.S. Military Presence, Expat Life, and Scientology in Latin America

Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.

[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came out to play and now as I wonder Hello there all you expat wannabes. I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Alright now before we get into some real heavy stuff. I've got an email from Mikey Hi, Mikey. This is Johnny. I'm sending you along a PDF of something I think you're gonna find very interesting you probably heard in the international news this week

[00:47] There are protesters at the US Embassy in Tegucigalpa Honduras burning tires and lighting fires and such Protesting against things that are happening in Honduras that they believe the US government is responsible for well, Johnny I'm here to tell you I'm ex-military Formerly stationed for two years at Soto Cano airbase in Honduras Bet you didn't even know uncle Sam had an airbase in Honduras. Did ya? Well, that's one they'll admit to but there's others So Johnny just to prove I'm not giving you any BS I'm enclosing here a PDF informational document that's given to every single one of us military guys. That's stationed at the base It's 27 pages long Johnny If you take a look at it, you'll see they've left no stone unturned

[01:34] You could say it's a practical guide to daily living for a US soldier stationed in Honduras I know it sounds funny to say US soldier stationed in Honduras. What the hell are we doing there anyway? Well, I urge you to have a look at this PDF because Johnny I run into people all the time who don't believe the US has military bases all over the world They just are in denial or don't want to hear about it No, I think now the US has bases in something like a hundred and fifty countries out of 200 Anyhow Johnny take a look at this thing some parts you won't believe Oh and Johnny feel free to pass this PDF on to your listeners if they want to copy Be my guest. It's got tons of photos, too And it's in English. Anyhow Johnny. I've been a listener for a long time I've even turned on some of my Air Force buddies to your show too and really Johnny

[02:23] It's just like you said We know things the public doesn't know and most of us really want to get the hell out of dodge, too And you know as a rule, we don't talk much except to each other not much to civilians You know though you wouldn't believe how so many of us when our hitches up want to get the hell out Out of harm's way to so to speak and for me when my hitches up my final destination Latin America naturally Unfortunately, the military pays badly compared to the private sector So few of us have any savings to make them move so we have to put in our 20 years and get our pensions before We can do that Unfortunately by then after 20 years most of us have wives and families divorces kids responsibilities and big debts back home Making the long-term plans of becoming an expat less and less realistic as time goes on the message here

[03:13] Is that not all of us military guys our gung-ho macho testosterone machines many of us smarter ones see there's something? Drastically wrong with the u.s.. And it can't go on so we talk about plan B's, too Although it seems almost impossible to pull up unless you're single or if you have a wife She has to be on board with the plan or it'll never work as for me Johnny I was stationed a couple of years in Colombia Panama and then Honduras, and now I'm back in the States I'm divorced no kids But my new fiance is all on board with getting the hell out of dodge Sounds hard to believe you could find a woman like that since my ex thought I was crazy from the get-go to even entertain the idea So that's how it sits my fiance Julie's all on board for it except for one thing

[04:00] She's a Scientologist though Johnny she appears sane and every other way It's a big relief. She never pushes it almost never talks about it, so I guess she's a Scientologist light though obviously she did want to know if I had ever run into a Scientologist in my five and a half years in Latin America truthfully Johnny I never met a Scientologist so I ran into her fact is I didn't even find out She was a Scientologist till about the third or fourth date It's a good thing too because if she'd have brought it up right away It would have been a sure deal killer all I know about Scientology was that it was kind of a cult inhabited by a bunch of high-living Hollywood Like Cruz and Travolta with rumored sexuality issues so bottom line Johnny What's the story on Scientology in Latin America if anyone would know you would Johnny you've been down there a couple of decades?

[04:50] You live in off the tourist trail you speak Spanish you meet a lot of people you get around so Johnny What's the story on Scientology keep up the good work signed top gun Mikey? Top gun Mikey shades of Tom Cruise, huh? Mm-hmm. Oh, and I bet you're not a little pipsqueak as the name Mikey might imply Probably built and ripped like an MMA fighter. Anyway, Mikey good question And this PDF on that Honduran military base you were stationed at Wow What an eye-opener gonna read a chunk of it later in the show, but first Scientology oh and Mikey you're right I have the same bias as you if a girl told me on a first date. She was a Scientologist I think I'd be looking for the exits before the waitress even dropped off the menus

[05:36] The weird thing to me, you know is Scientology gets such a bad rap these days You wonder about people who join it and you wonder even more about people who would admit to it But what about Scientology in Latin America? Well, you know, the truth is I never met a Scientologist when I lived up in the States so many years ago, but here in Latin America in 2019 I'm sure it exists and I even did a little web search in Spanish Yeah, they've got meet-up groups in all medium and in large cities, but I never personally met a single one No one who is admitted to it. Anyway, although I do remember a couple occasions where the mention of Scientology came up at a party Or get-together festival, whatever and most Latinos affect a hundred percent of Latinos in the discussion

[06:23] Didn't even know what Scientology was they'd never heard of it before It seems like it's pretty much a phenomena born bread and stuck in the USA But I can't tell you a few things about Scientology that I picked up along the way that most people don't know First of all, I read that hugely popular book that put Scientology on the map It was called Dianetics by L Ron Hubbard and I read one or two of his science fiction books You know, he was a science fiction writer before he came up with the Scientology thing and that Dianetics thing I read that book I think in 1974 it didn't really make much of an impression on me It seemed more like it was written by a guy who was under the influence of magic mushrooms You know those were the hippie days lots of existential gibberish and woo-woo back then

[07:09] Anyway, Dianetics made no big impression on me So I was quite surprised when a little while later L Ron Hubbard the science fiction author and Dianetics guy came out with his own religion Scientology and I know especially these days there are tell all books coming out of Hollywood talking about the cultish activities going on there Now you might have heard me mentioned before I like to read biographies and so I read an unauthorized biography of L Ron Hubbard Man was that guy a strange bird He became so rich off of Dianetics and Scientology that he built something like 15 homes all over the United States And in his main houses, he had coke machines installed in every room He used to drink a 12 pack or more of coke a day So you'd walk into his office 10 living room or ever and there'd be a real fire engine red old-time coke machine in there

[07:59] Stocked to the gills with coca-cola not diet coke but high octane the real thing But you didn't have to put in a dime to get your coke not an L Ron Hubbard's house. They were free Yep, back then cokes were a dime. Oh, and here's another stray fact about L Ron Hubbard He was the youngest Eagle Scout in Boy Scout history and at one time had the record of 21 merit badges Now the thing that really put me off Scientology from the get-go is the word science in it same with Christian Scientists talk about irony as if real science and religion have anything in common at all for example get this Scientologists actually believe as L Ron Hubbard says in his writings if you can clear your mind of past

[08:45] Painful memories you can auto repair your body For example Hubbard says regrow stunted and missing body parts teeth fingers limbs That means slongs to I guess as well as autocure blindness cancer and psychological and brain disorders Yep, that's right. He said autocure Psychologic and brain disorders which from what I can see doesn't seem to be working out too well for mr. Cruz or mr Travolta though could be wrong, but back to Mikey's initial question are there Scientologists here in Latin America. Well, there must be because you can find their meetup groups on the net However from my experience you have a better chance of bumping into Elvis Now said about that now since Mikey mentioned he was stationed in Honduras at a US military base

[09:34] Well that brings us to the unholy subject of US government involvement in Latin American politics Etc. Now, of course everyone with a half a brain knows the US tries to get involved in everybody's business Everyone's politics and you know that business about the Chinese or Russian collusion in US presidential Politics that always makes me laugh because that's exactly what the US does everywhere in the world I mean look uncle Sam's in the business of toppling and misdirecting governments that don't play ball with them But you knew that already now you may have seen articles just in the last couple days Like this one headline is US border patrol agents will deploy to Guatemala to train agents side by side

[10:21] Haha as if that's new news man I'll tell you every single Latin American country except Venezuela and Cuba have US forces and quote Contractors with boots on the ground ostensibly to train up their military and police forces to first world standards Which will never happen. It never has own get this over the years I've talked to lots of Latin American military and police Of course, they love to talk to gringos and if you sit down have a couple drinks with them They really open up, especially when you're buying the fact is practically every single Latin military officer You know captain colonel lieutenant that I've ever met has been to the United States for some kind of training How'd that happen? Of course on your dime now as for the regular

[11:08] Military and police grunts the privates the corporals the sergeants They don't ship them up to the states for training, but they bring us Military and police attach a down on contract to train these guys up in their own countries Again with your wasted tax dollars as a result and it always works out this way The US equips the Latin constant military with all kinds of high-tech equipment the latest greatest firearms in military gear And where does some of that good stuff end up in the hands of narcos? How did that happen? Because as you've probably figured out already the cops in the military have more allegiance to money than they do their own country Of course, there are always some exceptions though It really is true. Everyone has their price and here in Latin America. It's damn low

[11:54] So anyway in the last few days people have been sending me links to articles saying the US government's down in Guatemala Even Honduras now training up local cops and military guys in this recent case They say to assist in stemming the flow of illegal immigrants up through Mexico and on through to the US But believe me, it's been going on a long time. It's nothing new in fact It even says and this Reuters article from yesterday Quote US Border Patrol agents and other Department of Homeland Security law enforcement officers are being sent to Guatemala to assist in training Missions with local authorities as part of a two-year plan aimed at decreasing migration flows to the US And then it says and this is the tell-all acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin MacLennan says the US has invested in a continuing presence in Central America and it's been ongoing for several years now

[12:47] Aha, then it says in addition to US Border Patrol agents being stationed personnel from Immigration and Customs enforcement Homeland Security investigations and enforcement and removal operations divisions will be deployed in the region So what's that really saying? They're just confirming what I've been seeing over and over again year after year US military FBI CIA NSA and other Contractors are here and have an open presence in every Latin country except for Venezuela and Cuba meanwhile as mentioned earlier and you may have seen this on the news in Tagusi Galpa known as Tagusi here the capital of Honduras for the last couple of days There have been protests outside the US Embassy people burning tires and such

[13:33] And the news articles are saying these are teachers and doctors and nurses Protesting US interference in politics there, which to me doesn't sound quite right. That's not news The US has been involved in Honduras forever Look, he just heard me read that email from Mikey who was stationed there for a couple of years at a military base That was first constructed there in 1982 So if you think big-time US interference and Latin American politics is something new I'm gonna read a few excerpts from an article in The Nation magazine and it's entitled how Hillary Clinton Militarized US policy in Honduras. It says Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state Used the State Department to aid in a coup and regime change in Honduras using the supposed benevolent

[14:21] humanitarian aid agency USAID Which has been known to interfere with elections and promote coups in various Latin countries Yeah, right. What did Hillary and the DNC accused the Russians of doing? Alright, let's back up a bit. Now you might not realize it, but there's an agency called USAID It's a quasi US so-called humanitarian aid agency Which by the way has a huge complex of four square blocks on the southern edge of Guatemala City They've also got similar buildings in most Latin American capital cities Now you think by looking at that name USAID that it's a kind gentle do-gooder kind of lend a helping hand agency They do dole out billions. In fact last year their budget was 23 billion dollars

[15:10] It's the second largest funded humanitarian aid program in the world Only if you look it up on Wikipedia, which in itself is a corrupt resource You'll see they come right out and say that USAID has been accused of being a cover or an arm of the CIA anyway, it says in 2012 Hillary Clinton started a program called Honduras conviv a program set up to function under the wing of USAID which eventually became a staging ground for the second largest deployment of US special ops Outside of number one the Middle East. Alright, I won't bore you with too many more facts But it says USAID the supposed benevolent aid agency Created another agency within itself called the OTI the Office of Transition Initiatives

[15:58] Don't you love that double-speak the OTI was created and sanctioned by Congress in 1994 under Bill Clinton its job description to intervene under the direction of the US State Department the Pentagon and other security agencies in places like Afghanistan Haiti Colombia Honduras, etc, etc to boost support for local governments backed by the United States Then it says sometimes as it has done in Cuba and Venezuela Its programs are directed at stirring opposition to leftist regimes Then it says in 2012 Hillary Clinton gave the office a major boost after she became Secretary of State Its programs are overseen by the malignant criminal pus bag Secretary of State

[16:46] Oops, my mistake. I misread that. Oh and get this it says the Congressional Research Service noted in a 2009 report The OTI's activities are overly political and based on the idea that Timely and creative US assistance can help tip the balance towards outcomes that advance US foreign policy and objectives Hmm, you think? Then it says US contractor documents obtained about the OTI program show it was based on communication strategies to win the hearts and minds of the locals and the contractors US contractors overseeing the project came to Honduras Directly after their regime change efforts in Afghanistan Turns out part of Hillary's Honduran project was subcontracted out to a company owned by

[17:36] counterinsurgency advisor David kill Cullen who just happened to be the senior counterinsurgency advisor to Army General David Petraeus in both Iraq and Afghanistan The contracts went into effect October 16 2012 under Hillary and Obama USAID officials confirmed kill Cullen's company serious associates received two such grants to assist USAID and OTI Then it says the players in this provide a glimpse into the privatized world of covert operations managed by USAID And OTI and how they dovetail with the broader US foreign policy goals of supporting governments friendly to US Economic and strategic interests then it says under Bill Clinton's 2010 quadrennial diplomacy and development project

[18:25] OTI's programs were expanded and strengthened and the State Department Contracted most of its projects to a hand-selected group of private aid companies based in Washington Big surprise, huh? Hey, I don't want you to fall asleep now But just one more thing then it says in the contracting company There was another associate involved in the Honduras program William Upshore who taught counterinsurgency Tactics in Afghanistan for the army's 10th mountain and 82nd airborne divisions and wouldn't you know it now in? 2019 he's a high-paid associate with intelligence contractor booze Alan Hamilton now doesn't that just make you want to vomit Yep, it's that revolving door of maggotists postulate slime bags, and I know you know I mean that in the most heartfelt christian kind of way theos ben digga all right

[19:14] Then it says according to the USAID OTI plan Hundreds of US special forces and Navy SEALs came into Honduras starting in 2014 Ostensibly to train Honduran units for civilian law enforcement Gringo style that according to the Wall Street Journal They reported the training is set to expand the one billion dollar Alliance for Prosperity program for the region that was unveiled in January of 2015 by then VP skunk breath Joe Biden Oops, sorry my mistake. I misread that too think I'm due for a bucket of those dollar store reading glasses Don't you think then finally we've got this quote from Lawrence Wilkerson the former deputy? to the Secretary of State Colin Paul

[20:00] He said quote I've pretty much been appalled by what the US policy has done with respect to Honduras He says if I could sum it up for what it's been for so many many years It was to protect all the criminals in power basically to maintain US interests all right It's me Johnny again, and like I said it's not just Guatemala Honduras Mexico Colombia and Panama The fact is the US has been continuously paying off corrupt Latin politicians for generations Oh, by the way, isn't it funny Ecuador who is social security and healthcare system are totally broke virtually bankrupt Well after throwing Julian a science to the wolves just a couple of weeks ago What a coincidence that Ecuador's president Lenin Moreno met just two weeks ago with an envoy of US diplomats who awarded a huge?

[20:49] US donation aid package to the country and Moreno the president has just invited get this Us a ID to come on in and set up an office. Yep. That's the way it's done You know if I was king I'd hang those guys, but I'm not and I'm not a queen either. Thank God Bottom line, I'm so glad I'm living here in Latin America Even though it seems like there are US State Department snakes under every rock the thing is that this cannot go on forever Personally, I want to be as far away as possible from the head of the snake in Washington DC You know as well as I do the US cannot maintain a 21 trillion dollar deficit There's just so much wrong with the US that could never be fixed in the voting booth But you knew that already right now. Let's talk about this special little PDF

[21:39] I have here from lieutenant Mikey by the way if you want to copy this PDF He said I couldn't shoot it out to you I tell you you really have to look at this thing you won't believe it and now just a few of the highlights It starts out on the first page with a letter from the commander It says congratulations dear service member on your assignment to the Joint Task Force JTF Bravo You have just joined a very unique base at Soto Kano air base in Honduras operating throughout Central America JTF dash Bravo is a subordinate command of US southern command responsible for a joint operations area Which encompasses seven Central American countries? Then it says service in the JTF dash Bravo unit will provide to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding for you. Oh

[22:28] Yeah Rewarding I bet now listen closely it says JTF Bravo is a joint organization comprised of more than 500 US military personnel at this base and more than 500 US and Honduran Civilians who will serve across five different units including the 612th air base squadron, etc. Etc Then it says our force executes operational missions on a daily basis in our very complete environment This is a deployed environment our service members possessed the opportunity to be deployed throughout Latin America That doesn't sound all too good Then it says please take an opportunity to review this welcome guide as you make preparations for your new home and assignment at Soto Kano

[23:14] Air Base like any overseas deployment. There are many details. You will need to facilitate to have a smooth transition This welcome guide contains expansive information about our facilities where you'll be assigned Administrative details, etc. Etc signed the base commander and I won't say his name on the air since I don't much feel like drone Ducking right now. I don't need the exercise. Anyway, you have to see this thing It's not classified of course, but I doubt it was intended for JQ public Send me an email the expat files at gmail.com and I'll send it right out to you All right, just a little more in section one It says a history of our progress through unity US and Honduran forces have conducted combined military trainings as early as 1965 in

[24:00] 1983 the Honduran government requested an increase in the size and number of US participation in these exercises So joint task force Bravo was established in August 1984 to exercise command and control of US forces and exercises In the Republic of Honduras then it says before our base was designated JTF dash Bravo in 1984 The task force here was known as JTF 11 and then changed to JTF alpha Here's our mission statement what we do We conduct and support joint operations actions and activities throughout the joint operations area of Central America Maintaining a forward presence in order to enhance regional stability security and cooperation All right, I'm scrolling down lots of great stuff here But on page 14, there is a basic guideline for military life at the Soto Cano Air Force Base

[24:52] This has everything it's even got a section on paying allowances says military will receive hardship duty pay for location here in the amount of $100 a month per person Military members with dependents will receive a family separation allowance in the amount of 250 bucks a month on page 21 They even have a section on your spiritual and physical well-being Offering a hundred percent confidential drug alcohol and addiction Non-reportable psychological counseling services, I guess they figured out since Vietnam guys stationed abroad like to get They even have a session on the mess and dining facilities on page 19 It says the dining facilities offer a great variety of foods on the mainline and the short-order line menu includes many ethnic meals

[25:38] Taco potato and pasta bars on different days to just a little touch of the old neighborhood Isn't that nice and this is telling it's this only military personnel Department of Defense civilians and approved government Contractors and official and unofficial guests of the commander you get that Unofficial guests are authorized to use our dining facility Well, I guess that kind of tells you what kind of shady characters might be hanging around Oh, and how about this on page 24 useful Spanish phrases. You should know and memorize For example, I am a member of the armed forces. So I memo de las forces armadas de los Estados They must have 50 praises here, but here's another sense. I want to go to the American Embassy Please speak slowly

[26:29] Abla despacio por favor and of course all off-duty military personnel should know this one. I'm thirsty Tango said then after a couple of drinks this time. Do you said other phrase again, please speak slowly Abla despacio por favor Then there's a section on mingling with the locals For example, it says on page 25 counselor officers are authorized to notarize documents and issue single statements A single statement is required for US citizens intending to marry a local Honduran. Hey, and there's much much more I suppose you're wondering about condoms, right? Well, there's a sale this week at the PX, but they're out of extra small Anyway, just a little heads up here on the ways your government flushes your tax dollar down the toilet All right, we're getting towards the end of the show now, but don't forget. I've got my July 2019

[27:19] Exped insider seminar coming up in just a few weeks So if you're looking to put your plan B in high gear come down and drink from the fire hose You won't regret it. Just go to www that the new expat comm and click on Chinese seminar link You've been listening to the expat files living in Latin America If you need some help with your own plan B, you can schedule a one-on-one phone call with me But first download my free plan B questionnaire at www.the new expat comm better yet If you want to get your plan B going from right up there in the states Just sign up for my 9-hour expat essentials course get the perfect plan B blueprint by going to the expat files comm Academy