Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller explores the multifaceted aspects of life in Latin America, from political dynamics to personal preparedness. He begins by introducing the show, which focuses on living, working, playing, and retiring in the region. Johnny shares his personal connection to Latin America and discusses his critical view of Biden's presidency, suggesting that the U.S. border may become more lenient, potentially leading to an increase in illegal migration from Central America. He references the movie 'Irresistible,' which he claims is censored and panned by mainstream media, and suggests it's about politics. A listener, Mike, criticizes the Mexican government's failure to protect its citizens, particularly women, from violence and drug-related issues. Johnny agrees with Mike's assessment and comments on the lack of American attention to these issues.
Johnny then shifts focus to the issue of missing women in Mexico, referencing the movie 'Border Town' starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas. He critiques the Mexican government for not taking direct action on the issue of missing women, instead offering symbolic support to families through items like shovels and buckets. He then discusses travel restrictions related to a negative COVID-19 test required for entry into Latin American countries, highlighting the logistical challenges faced by travelers like Chris in Montana who are struggling to find timely testing options. Johnny suggests that travelers can get a PCR test ordered by a doctor to ensure insurance coverage and expedited processing.
In the next segment, Johnny discusses the availability and process of PCR testing in Latin America, highlighting the need for appointments and online payment. He mentions that some labs offer rapid results within 24 hours, and that for those attending a seminar, arrangements have been made for PCR testing and results the same day. He also talks about the rise of private lab services like COVID Consultants, which offer expedited testing with results within 24 hours. Johnny explains the reasons behind the limited availability of spit tests, such as lab capacity constraints.
Johnny then discusses the limitations of PCR testing and the potential risks of vaccines, emphasizing that the PCR test has a high error rate. He also talks about the upcoming requirement for vaccination proof for air travel and how attendees of his seminar will be ahead of the curve. He critiques the use of aluminum foil for Faraday cages, suggesting that it is fragile and not a reliable solution. He recommends specialized products from a PhD electrical engineer for EMP and EMF protection. He mentions an EMP arrester device and shares his personal experience with Faraday cage bags, emphasizing the importance of preparedness for potential EMP events.
In the following segment, Johnny discusses practical steps for shielding electronic devices from electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), such as using clothespins or heavy-duty paper clips to secure items inside a shielded bag. He emphasizes the importance of this preparation, especially in the context of potential EMP events. He then transitions into a broader discussion about gun rights and laws, particularly in Latin America, noting that only three countries (the US, Guatemala, and Mexico) explicitly protect the right to bear arms in their constitutions. He critiques how these rights have been eroded over time and provides specific examples, such as Brazil's loosening of gun laws due to its export of firearms like Taurus handguns. Johnny also details the strict gun laws in Argentina, including the extensive requirements for obtaining a permit and the low number of permits issued, which he uses to express his personal preference against living in Argentina.
Johnny continues by discussing gun laws in various Latin American countries, highlighting the differences in legal ownership, restrictions, and the practical challenges of acquiring firearms. He points out that while some countries like Brazil have relatively lenient laws allowing gun ownership for most citizens, others like Colombia and Mexico have strict regulations or limited availability. Johnny critiques the legal definitions of prohibited weapons, such as assault rifles, and questions the logic behind such bans. He mentions specific examples, like the limited number of gun stores in Mexico and the high number of gun-related homicides in Venezuela despite strict gun control. Additionally, he touches on the bureaucratic hurdles in countries like Panama and the difficulty expats face in obtaining gun permits.
Finally, Johnny discusses the challenges expats face in Panama regarding gun ownership and the informal gun trade involving local police. He notes that no expats he knows legally own guns, and that cops in Latin America often have access to guns for sale. He explains that this is due to the lack of proper disposal of confiscated weapons and the financial incentives for police to sell them.
Episode Notes
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller dives into the complexities of life in Latin America, touching on politics, immigration, and personal preparedness. He discusses the impact of U.S. policies on migration, the challenges of travel restrictions, and the importance of EMP protection. Johnny also shares insights on gun laws across the region and the difficulties expats face in obtaining firearms.
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Topics
Politics in the U.S. and its impact on immigration, Gun ownership and laws in Latin America, Criticism of the Mexican government's handling of crime and violence, Censorship and media bias, Missing women in Mexico, Cultural and political issues in Latin America, Travel restrictions and health protocols, Government response to social issues, PCR testing availability in Latin America, Rapid PCR testing services like COVID Consultants, Seminar attendees and PCR testing arrangements, Spit test limitations and lab capacities
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:14 Introduction to the Show 00:01:32 Discussion on Gun Ownership in Latin America 00:02:36 References to Reuters Reporters in Mexico 00:05:26 Introduction to the Issue of Missing Women in Mexico 00:06:00 Hollywood's Engagement with the Issue of Missing Women 00:06:30 Government Response and Symbolic Support 00:08:11 Travel Restrictions and the Need for a Negative COVID Test 00:09:53 PCR Testing Process and Requirements in Latin America 00:10:25 Seminar Attendees and PCR Testing Arrangements 00:11:00 Rise of Private PCR Testing Services 00:14:02 PCR Testing and Vaccines: A Critical Perspective 00:14:26 Air Travel and Vaccination Requirements: Staying Ahead 00:15:48 EMF and EMP Protection: A Cost-Benefit Analysis 00:18:15 Shielding Electronics from EMPs 00:18:48 Gun Rights in the World 00:19:51 Gun Laws in Argentina 00:22:07 Gun Ownership in Brazil and Chile 00:23:00 Gun Laws in Colombia and Mexico 00:23:26 Criticism of Assault Rifle Bans 00:24:12 Gun Ownership in Mexico and Venezuela 00:25:01 Gun Laws in Costa Rica and Belize 00:26:06 Gun Permits in Panama 00:26:21 Expats in Panama and Gun Ownership 00:26:34 The Strange Connection Between Cops and Guns
Transcript
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 up to play and now that I wonder Hello there all you ex-pat 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 Hey, I hope everyone's happy now. I mean that Biden's your new president I see the electoral college voted him in you get the politicians you deserve which is why I don't vote and I haven't since the big sucking sound when was that in 78 or something, you know independent Ross Perot he didn't win because he just didn't look presidential
[00:50] He didn't sound presidential. He had an easily voice and he always sort of sounded like he was whining You know people don't vote based on the issues. It's all about marketing. In fact, I really suggest you see this new movie that came out It's called irresistible. It's got some big names in it You know that Steve Carroll guy the 40 year old virgin Chris Cooper and a lot of other big names But it's been pretty much censored and panned by the mainstream media. You know why because they're embarrassed by it You have to see it. It's called irresistible. It came out in 2020 this year and it's all about well politics. Don't worry It's not a documentary. It's a very well put together story But believe me after you see it, you'll probably never ever want to vote again Oh and today by popular demand, we're gonna talk about guns and gun ownership in Latin America
[01:37] We'll hit on various Latin American countries and their gun laws and what that means to gringos and expats But first I'd like to mention that here in Latin America The rumors have been flying for a while that Biden won the presidency and guess what you know For the last six months or even a year. There have been very few of those organized caravans of illegals pushing through Mexico to the States, right? Well, guess what? I'm hearing the scuttlebutt in Spanish, of course down here that they're all gearing up In fact, the caravans are coalescing now because they know that the border guards ice and the immigration officials Are gonna be told if they haven't been already to lay off to loosen up and you better believe that the Latinos down here You know the ones that have got nothing to lose exactly the kind you want to illegally migrate into your country, right?
[02:25] You have to know that they and all their support groups were just praying for Biden to get elected Well again, let's put it this way you get the government you deserve now. There's no way I'm making this up or even exaggerating I just want to tell you about a couple of Reuters Reporters in Mexico who are on the scene and here's what they have to say about it According to Reuters, thousands of newly hopeful migrants in Central America have recently joined What's up and Facebook groups dedicated to organizing northbound caravans slated to begin leaving the region In the coming weeks once Biden's installed as president January 20th, 2021 So my advice to all you natural born citizens up in Cleveland, Seattle, Milwaukee, learn some Spanish Now don't take that as my endorsement for Trump
[03:10] I think every medium and high level politician is nothing but a hopelessly corrupt sociopath Whore would be too kind of word, in fact, it would be a compliment And I also believe that 20 or 30 years ago the US actually had a chance to turn itself around But there's really no hope it's a terminal patient on life support With Biden, the inevitable train wreck will just come sooner than it would have with Trump And as for me, there's only one really big reason I'm sorry Trump didn't win It just won't be fun to watch politics anymore It'll go back to the boring, lying, thieving political landscape as usual Whereas with Trump, it was always at least unpredictable and amusing With him, it was like throwing a cherry bomb into a wasp's nest And every day when you turn down the news, it was ever more crazy and amusing
[03:56] But alas, those days are gone and all we can really look forward to Is a faster timeline for the inevitable train wreck But you knew that already, right? Alright, so before we get into the gun thing, let's take a few emails This is from long time listener Mike, he says Hey Johnny, I hope you're doing well You're probably familiar with this wonderful quote from the late great Harry Brown Quote, the government is good at one thing It knows how to break your legs and then hand you a crutch and say See, if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk Johnny, as you know, the federal and state governments of Mexico have completely failed in performing their primary responsibility to protect the people The inept politicians and other bureaucrats, corrupted by bribery from the narco cartels, etc, enforced the US's insane war on drugs
[04:44] While using gun control laws to prevent innocent people from protecting themselves As a consequence, Johnny, tens of thousands of people, including women, have been murdered and buried, sometimes in mass graves They're finding them all the time So government is figuratively breaking the legs of the people in Mexico And now, here comes that offer of a rubber crutch for them All right, Mike, it's me, Johnny, here, just a little interruption You're 100% right In Mexico, you see thousands of women disappearing and finding them in mass graves sometime later It's funny, you know, how Americans never talk about that It never comes up Makes you wonder, where are all those women's rights gringas on that issue? They're too busy worrying about more important things Like diversity, equal pay, and the proper placement of pronouns
[05:30] But you see, in the Latino communities here in Latin America And up in the States, they know full well about the dead and disappearing female problem in Mexico In fact, Jennifer Lopez made a movie about it You know, a regular Hollywood movie with the kind of a spin Where a Latina woman cop from the States went down to Mexico And teamed up with a Mexican police detective Played by, I think it was Antonio Banderas I mean, back when he looked like he didn't have some kind of wasting disease Man, that's one guy that did not age well, huh? So anyway, the problem was so huge, even Hollywood made a movie out of it It was actually pretty good, too Worth watching, but I'm sure not too many people saw it Because hey, what interest is the average American couch potato who has never traveled out of the U.S? What does he or she care about mass graves filled with young females south of the border?
[06:19] But you listeners, I know, are not the average American couch potato So have a look at that movie, too It's called Border Town Came out in 2006, stars J. Lo, Antonio Banderas, and Martin Sheen Bet you never heard of it But I'll tell you, most all Mexican Latinas have But where were we? Oh yeah, the rest of Mike's email He says, so the Mexican government is figuratively breaking the legs of people And now giving them rubber crutches For example, in Guayama, Sonora, Mexico In a ceremony to honor international day to eliminate violence against women Well, in Guayama, Sonora, ironically enough The municipal council gathered together mothers of missing persons And presented them with, get this, shovels and buckets and sanitary supplies
[07:05] So that the women could look for their own relatives And dig up the bodies of their loved ones Well, naturally, the Mexican government's not gonna do that kind of dirty work on their own They're way too busy Coming up with ingenious ways to waste and steal taxpayers pesos And then congratulate themselves on the social media platforms As to how much they care about their victimized women Yep, that's the plan, help break their legs and then give them rubber crutches Take care, Johnny signed, Michael Alright, thanks for that, Michael Then comes this very relevant email from Chris He says, Johnny, so Guatemala and many other Latin countries require a negative COVID test Three days before travel there, that's 72 hours I'm in Montana and I can only find one place here in Montana That would even do the test without symptoms
[07:51] And their tests take three to nine days to come back I spoke to United Airlines and I'm still not completely certain Whether the test needs to be performed within three days Or the test results need to be back within three days I don't want to buy a ticket and then not be able to go Because of a positive result or the results taking too long Am I missing something here? Alright, Chris, here's how it stands It's supposed to be 72 hours or three days From the time you give your sample But I've been hearing that countries and airlines are very lenient Because sometimes you get stuck in a layover for three, four, five, eight hours And then add that to the day or so it might take to get the test back Now imagine your flight's on a Monday And you have the test on Friday or Saturday And the lab's not open on Sunday Well, there's going to be some stress for sure, right? Well, the fact is airports and countries that require the test
[08:39] Are not being so anal and strict about it Even so, just the thought of it could cause some stress So this is what lots of frequent flyers have been doing They go to their regular family doc Or any doc at a clinic And tell the receptionist you need the doc to write your prescription Not for drugs, but for an order for that PCR test There's two reasons for that That'll kind of get you to the front of the line when you go to a lab And if you've got decent insurance You'll get coverage on that test Because you see, if you just go get the test at a lab Your insurance won't cover it without being ordered by a doc That's what I've heard anyway Though there are exceptions to everything Now of course, I'm in Latin America right now And when I travel For most countries, I need to get that PCR test too I know, I know, it's a bad test It's faulty It's a power move It's politics
[09:24] It's stupid But you can't fly to most countries without it Though, believe it or not In some of the bigger cities in Latin America Where they've got laboratories with multiple locations You know, local franchise laboratories They actually do drive-through co-videate PCR tests And with some laboratories that have multiple satellite offices I'm talking about here in Latin America Now I don't know how it is up in the States But for some labs doing the test You need an appointment ahead of time So what do you do? You go on their website At least here in Latin America you do Make the appointment and pay with your credit card For some of the labs Especially the drive-through jobs You got to pay ahead online Now you don't make an exact appointment Like seven or eight or nine in the morning Whatever As long as you pay You could show up any time after that And they'll do the test And then you get the results in 24 hours or less
[10:10] In some labs If you show up in the morning for the test Let's say seven, eight or nine It'll be ready by five or six at night By the way for all you guys and gals Coming to the seminar It kicks off in a couple weeks now If you're wondering about that PCR test When you have to return home Well there's good news Our overqualified seminar logistics lady Her dad is a well-known Guatemalan physician A specialist And her aunt runs and works at One of the labs that does COVID tests So we've made arrangements for our people After the seminar Who are going back to the States or wherever To get that test done and the results the same day We'll be right there holding your hand through it So don't worry But now as for Chris, our emailer's case And for other people living way out in the boonies Who aren't close to the big city to get a test done Quick and easy and the results within that time frame
[10:56] It's no surprise to find out that this PCR rapid testing Has blossomed into a big business opportunity For example, they've got private lab outfits Such as one called COVID Consultants They offer the PCR testing with an expedited turnaround time Of less than 48 hours So for a little under 200 bucks You get a prepaid FedEx testing kit Shipped to your door They test it and they ship it back FedEx overnight In fact, there's a quote here from CC COVID Consultants One of these offices says Quote, depending on how soon your departure is We can overnight the sample and results Anywhere within the continental US By 1030 the next morning You get the kit, spit in a cup, box it up, ship it back And the company guarantees the test results emailed to you
[11:42] Within 24 hours That's 24 hours or less from when the sample arrives with us at the lab Then it says We are one of the FDA and European agency approved test kits on the market Our results are widely accepted by travel authorities in Europe, Africa The US, Middle East, and of course Asia and Canada It says we download our results from our medical portal And send a PDF to you with a copy of the FDA emergency use authorization For the patient via email By the way, on their website it says Question Why isn't the spit test more widely available in the world? Given that it's less intrusive As well as to be able to be carried out by people who have no medical training Unlike the nasopharyngeal swab test The answer is it says Labs have limited capacities
[12:27] And many of them If they have a backup can't process the results in time For everyone who needs to take a flight And then they give an extreme example here For example it says We are running now a scenario Which a traveler aims to visit a country like Croatia Which requires not a 72 hour Negative PCR test But a 48 hours or less negative test So here's how it would work Within the 48 hour mandate If your departure is at 2pm on Friday let's say The patient would spit in the cup at 2.01pm or later on Wednesday Drop it off at a FedEx depot using the return box and shipping label we provide It would arrive at the lab by 10.30am on Thursday And they would have the results that evening But officially by 10am Friday morning
[13:13] Since you'll get your results via email You can be on your way to the airport while awaiting the news Hoping you passed of course So the good news is that a number of these rapid turnover Mail order laboratory PCR testing services are operating right now and with great success So if you haven't got a testing facility nearby that you can rely on Here's one of those labs you can check out It's called the COVID Consultants Their website is thecovidconsultants.com All one word TheCovidConsultants.com So there you have it the updated as of late December 2020 The answer, I hope a sufficient answer To the burning question of PCR testing and making your air flight So that's the latest dope And of course things are always changing so we'll keep you posted
[14:00] Now I know of course and you do too That PCR test is a joke And it consistently produces 30-40% error Duh And the vaccine or vaccines man be afraid of that stuff I sure am but the marketing is gonna be hard and heavy To make it seem like it's absolutely safe You know as for the people coming down to my January XPaid Insider Seminar Man are they at an advantage Because by the time summer comes around Airlines worldwide will be requiring proof that you have had one of the vaccines So the people coming to my seminar have dodged that bullet Even though you got to take one of those stupid PCR tests You've dodged the biggest bullet of all the mandatory proof of being vaccinated All right one more email and on to the always controversial subject of guns
[14:47] All right Frankie writes Johnny I'm attaching a link for you The following information on that link seems to be useful For those of us on a budget or in smaller houses I'm talking about ways to protect your electronic equipment From possible yet probable EMF discharges You know solar flares and intentionally discharged EMFs to knock out grids etc Take a look at the link Johnny I'm thinking of doing this to protect my laptop cell phone and related equipment I was thinking of getting something like an aluminum briefcase too But perhaps all I need to do is follow what they're saying to do in this link All right thanks for that Frankie I'm looking at the link right now And it's pretty much how to make a poor man's Faraday cage out of aluminum foil And I say man don't even bother
[15:34] You know how fragile aluminum foil is I think if you use cheap flimsy aluminum foil as an insurance policy to save your electronic equipment From the very infrequent but very real solar flare Or EMP electromagnetic pulse Man you're being penny wise and pound foolish Because there happens to be a website owned and operated by a PhD electrical engineer Who specializes in EMP damage and using Faraday cages Well he's developed a line of products Mini Faraday cage bags made out of a very thick plasticized kind of aluminum foil This stuff is tough as hell And I personally ordered an assortment of 20 EMF protection bags All different sizes too From lunch bag size to a size that's big enough to put a solar panel in
[16:21] Man that's big And what I've done is put a spare computer Some walkie talkies A 32 inch monitor One of those portable solar lithium battery units weighs around 30 pounds And the bags can take that weight Oh and I've shoved in a couple external hard drive backups and such in various bags And just stored them away in a closet in case of emergency Because you know if you read up on EMP pulses Big ones come around every 100 years or so We're overdue for one They come during high sunspot activity And we're moving into that phase right now 10 or 20 years we've had almost no sunspots at all But now the solar corona is going into its active phase And really nobody knows what's going to happen when the next big pulse hits But they know it's not going to be good But if you have some of your stuff at least in a decent Faraday cage it'll survive
[17:07] Now I'm not overdoing it I just took a few key components and packed them away just in case By the way there's this really neat new device that came out And it's gone through all the testing It's an EMP and EMF arrester that hooks into your fuse panel And though it costs around 200 bucks I've checked this thing out in man If we have an errant EMP pulse or any kind of lightning strikes It'll save and protect all your electronics that's being fed by your service panel Now again I don't make anything off these products But I use them so if you want to find out About getting those really excellent and very durable EMP bags They're simply mini Faraday cages And the whole house EMF, EMP and lightning arrester Just send me an email at theexpectfiles.gmail.com And you know there's always the question
[17:53] People say how do you seal up a Faraday bag You open the bag you put something in it like a computer whatever So then what do you do? You're supposed to seal it over and tape it? With what? Duck tape? Aluminum tape? Well what if you have to open it and use the thing? It's a mess You ever try to remove tape that's been stuck too long on something? Well I've worked on a quick and easy hack What I do after I put the computer or hard drive whatever Inside of the bag I fold the opening flap over a few times And take about three or four clothes pins And just clip them on the top Or you can use three or four of those heavy duty paper clips You know the ones that are black clamps You know what I'm talking about If you're interested I could shoot you a photo Of exactly what that looks like Using one of my own bags that's got a computer in it Now you might not care And you might think this is unimportant stuff But wait till the next EMP If it's not shielded it won't work
[18:40] Which brings us to the subject of guns And by the way you guys and gals That are coming to my Expat Insider seminar You'll be getting a full report That I've written on the subject Say did you know there are only three countries in the world That protect the right to bear arms Within their constitutions That be the US, Guatemala and Mexico So obviously initially to the founding fathers Of these three countries it was a big deal Even though a succession of limp-risted Political blood clots and scabs Have continued to water down their constitutions So although the original wording remains The intent has been twisted and mutated But you know that already Oh and by the way There's only been one Latin American country That's actually loosened its gun control laws Since around 2010 You see in 2019 Brazil loosened up its handgun laws
[19:28] Mostly because one of its biggest exports Is the Taurus line of handguns If you know a Taurus And I've had a couple myself They're very good Solid and inexpensive And wouldn't you know it They were instrumental in getting Brazil To loosen up some of its handgun laws That said let's go through some of the current gun laws In Latin America Country to country And of course I'll throw in my two cents as we go along Let's start with Argentina To get a gun permit there You have to be a citizen 21 Have no criminal record And you have to tell the firearms registry division Exactly where you're going to keep that gun Top of that you need to pass a physical And psychiatric examination Have firearm training And show proof of a minimum income And if you make it past all those hurdles
[20:15] They fingerprint you If you're going to move that weapon anywhere Like let's say from your apartment To the beach cabin that you're headed You'll have to submit formal paperwork Requesting and justifying the need To transport that weapon Needless to say almost no civilians Legally own weapons in Argentina Furthermore gun licenses are only valid for one year And after that all documents must be resubmitted To show you just how restrictive Argentina's gun laws are In 2016 just 73 permits were granted And that's in a country of 44 million As opposed to permits granted in 2003 Of which there were 9,000 Oh and by the way the Argentine government has in place An anonymous gun surrender program
[21:01] Where they pay you to turn in your gun In the last 10 years citizens have turned in more than 300,000 guns So for me anyway that's 300,000 reasons Why I don't want to live work play and or do business in Argentina Sorry but it won't work for me All right back to Brazil Where you have to be 25 years old And a citizen to get a gun So that leaves out 98% of gringos and expats Who might have residency But aren't actual passport holding citizens But at least the permits are cheap 26 bucks and are renewable every 10 years However just like Argentina To get permission to bring your weapon outside of your home It's very difficult If for example you want to bring your gun on your boat You'll have to submit formal paperwork to the government And explain in a declaration your reasons why
[21:46] By the way in 2005 64% of Brazilians voted no in a referendum On whether to ban the sale of guns and ammunition to civilians And according to a recent 2019 decree Most people qualify for a gun And here's the rule It says residents of both rural and urban areas With a homicide rate of more than 10 per 100,000 Are entitled to have a gun That's the loophole of ownership Because the lowest homicide registered rate For any city in Brazil Is 10.9 homicides per 100,000 Which means in practice every citizen has a right to own a gun As long as he doesn't have a criminal record Or is psychologically unfit However an addendum to that Brazilian law says If you're a gun owner And you've got children, adolescents
[22:33] Or a person with a mental disability in the house You must have an approved gun safe to store your firearms Alright let's talk about legal gun ownership in Chile Citizens in residence can have a gun But they have to register a home address Where you're keeping that gun Pass an official exam on the maintenance and safety of firearms Have a psychiatric evaluation Then you can buy a gun Actually two guns You're only allowed two in Chile That's the limit Then there's Colombia Which only allows citizens Not residents to be eligible for a gun permit That leaves out about 99% of gringos and expats Unless they follow through on getting their passports and nationality Which takes from five to ten years of living in Colombia Which is why very few gringos and expats can pull it off
[23:18] By the way all the Latino country laws Talk about which types of guns are prohibited Most all of them ban assault rifles And that just shows that people who write the legislation are idiots Because you can assault someone with anything I can assault you with a number four pencil You see bad guys kill people with pencils in the movies all the time, don't you? Does that mean we must prohibit number four assault pencils Or put a warning on the box? This pencil is to be used for drawing only If in danger of being assaulted Dial the pencil police at star 900 By the way in 2019 legislation went into effect in Colombia Which suspended all 339,160 Formerly legal gun carry permits So that's 339,000 reasons
[24:05] Why I don't want to live work play and or do business in Colombia All right how about Mexico You know I mentioned this in a past show But the highlights are Although Mexicans have a constitutional right to own guns There's only one gun store in the country Located in Mexico City Making it almost impossible for citizens or residents to buy one Mostly because a gun owner permit Is only good for one year and you have to reapply Not to mention to get a permit You have to belong to a shooting club Etc etc Which is why 70% of all the guns seized in Mexico Can be traced back to gun stores in the states Surprise surprise Then there's Venezuela and Cuba Where it's almost impossible for a civilian to own a gun legally Meanwhile in 2019 there were something like 35,000 gun related homicides
[24:52] Hmm how'd that happen? Talking about Venezuela now Then there's Costa Rica If you qualify you can have up to three guns That'd be handguns or sporting rifles The kicker is hunting of any kind is illegal in Costa Rica Hmm wonder what shit for brains wrote that law Oh and you need to pass a psychological exam too In Spanish so good luck with that Then there's Belize The good news is permanent residents and citizens can't own a gun It's pretty easy to get a permit However the maximum caliber is 9 mil That means no 45 calibers or 38 specials You know what 38 is about 9.1 millimeter over the limit Another big problem with owning a gun in Belize Is that you can only have 100 rounds of ammunition at your house It's pretty much the same thing in Ecuador
[25:38] You can only have a firearm with a caliber of 9 millimeter or less But citizens and illegal residents can own one That means gringos and expats Then there's Panama Well you can forget about owning a gun there There's been a moratorium on importing guns for over 20 years Though they've got a few gun shops They're not very popular Because to apply for a permit to own one You need a drug test A biometric facial recognition scan Fingerprint samples You need to give a DNA sample and a vial of blood And finally you have to undergo a psychological evaluation in Spanish However the good news is if you can jump over all those hurdles You can have up to 10 guns on one permit And they allow concealed carry But personally I know many gringos and expats living in Panama
[26:25] Not a single one of them has been able to jump through all those hoops Not a single one of those guys I know in Panama owns a gun Legally that is By the way there's another very strange thing about living in Latin America If you get to know a cop Let's say you've befriended a local beat cop Or your girlfriend has an uncle who's a cop Whatever So you start seeing them at parties and talking to them Christmas, New Year's, Samana Santa Believe me if you ever get to know a cop personally More than saying hi to him Eventually he'll ask you if you're looking for a gun That's happened to me more than a few times And in more than a few Latin American countries Seems like every cop's got a weapon to sell And oddly enough I recall a couple of times when I said to the cop What kind of gun you're talking about He'd say what are you looking for Registered or with a wink
[27:11] Unregistered So then what's that all about? Well personally I think that Latin cops have guns to sell Or at least a grapevine where they could get you a gun It's because when they pull over bad guys and confiscate illegal guns They don't turn them in Because they know there's a market for them And when a cop makes only 500 bucks a month He's probably going to find other ways of making money legal or not Wouldn't you? You've been listening to The Expat Files Living in Latin America If you need some help with your own plan B We can schedule a one-on-one phone or Skype consult Just send me an email Theexpatfiles.gmail.com And if you want to get on the waiting list For my next week-long Expat Insider Seminar in Central America Where you're guaranteed to get a two to five year head start on your plan B Send me an email Theexpatfiles.gmail.com
[27:57] Nos vamos