Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Latin America”
High up in the Himalayan mountains, hidden in the quiet pastures, grows a rare medicinal fungus. Speculators from around the world have heard what the fungus can do. (It’s a powerful aphrodisiac.) They have learned how valuable it is. (It’s more valuable than gold in the Chinese markets.) It’s an understatement that Big Pharma’s eyes are getting big – their …
One does not have to be a Marxist to say that property in our times, i.e., in a system of modern capitalism, is a curse on human intelligence and the endeavor to lead a meaningful life when it has been set against the concept, practice, and reality of the PUBLIC realm as such, whether the moral obligation of government to …
Jack Rasmus takes a look at this past week’s major event in the collapse of the China stock market, as well as the resurgence of Neoliberal policies in South America and the US pivot to that continent and destabilization of economies in Venezuela, Brazil and Argentine now underway. What’s behind the most recent stock decline in China? Jack explains its relationship to the slowing real economy there, and the pressure to devalue its currency, the Yuan, that is growing. Devaluation coming in China is reflected in investors attempting to take their money and run, thus the stock decline now underway. China government efforts to slow it via ‘circuit breakers’ is not working as well as before. The real economy-currency-stock nexus will continue. How this all has contagion effects on the rest of the global economy is explained. Jack then looks at the US ‘pivot’ to South America, and specifically how the US destabilizes economies by wrecking its currency. Global oil and commodity crash, slowing China, and US interest rate hikes are all having major negative effects on South American economies. In this scenario, the US is now attempting to exacerbate Venezuela’s currency collapse even further, while attacking it politically and legally. Venezuela is a model of how the US destabilizes a country’s currency and therefore economy, as a prelude to re-establishing more friendly Neoliberal governments and policies.
-A seasoned gringo Expat (with a Brazilian wife) living in Brazil tells us some horrifying personal stories of the general insecurity and rampant crime taking place in the country. It seems even the so-called nice, upscale residential and shopping areas are not exempt from frequent robberies, assaults, general crime and lawlessness. Beside the crime problem, there are many reasons why Brazil does not make my list of Expat destinations.
-Today we have more good reasons not to drive a late model car of distinction or SUV in Latin America. If you do, you’ll be a target.
-To Tint or not to Tint: the truth about those ubiquitous Latin American dark-tinted (extremely dark) car windows. Should you do it to your own car? What if no cars had tinting? Is it a good or bad thing?
-What’s Latin America like for supersized and very tall gringos and Expats? For example: is it easy (or hard) for a six foot five inch guy to get around in a mostly down-sized Latin America? Yes, some buildings really are architecturally unfriendly to tall people. In older buildings, even six-footer’s occasionally bump their noggins
-Some Expat auto owners weigh in with amusing stories describing what happens when Latin cops tried to shake them down for dough.
BTW: the car/vehicle paperwork shakedown situation is common around Christmas time (when most Latins are beyond dead broke).
-Latin cops love bribes (mordida). But they love free gifts too. That why long term Expats sometimes tuck certain special cheap giveaway items in their cars just to hand to cops pressuring for handouts. In the event you get pulled over, some key cheap items can work like a charm!
-In every Latin country there is a small group of 20 to 50 very wealthy “old money” families that own huge tracts of land along with many of the basic industries. Their last names and are well known to the rest of the working population- who generally revere them like minor royals. Often their snotty kids are unruly, abusive jerks. Even so, cops try to maintain a “hands off” policy. It’s sort of their Latin version of our “Gringo Advantage”…. though thankfully, few of us gringos come off like them in the pretentious jerk department.
-The parking situation in Latin America can be complicated. Today we compare Latin parking options to what you are used to up in Hartford and Cleveland. Some of what you are about to hear will sound a bit nutty, but that’s life in Latin America.
-Latins celebrate the Christmas holidays for virtually months and months at a time. That said, if you yourself are obsessed about the Christmas season you’ll be in great company down here.
-Because Latins go all out for Christmas, most of them are dead broke before the big event even arrives which, oddly enough, is why the local cops are ever so vigilant as the day approaches. Cops love the holidays. “Tis the season” for the cops to squeeze extra cash out of unsuspecting drivers who are perpetually late and in a hurry to get somewhere (it’s a manana society you know). Today we talk about what to do if you get stopped or pulled over. Right off the bat there will be definite signs that indicate a bribe request is forthcoming. We’ll also explain a few tricks you can use to try to get out of it.
-Today I’ll describe my own very recent traffic stop- Christmas bribe/extortion story. Not to worry, it does have a somewhat happy ending. Listen now to hear how it took me a half hour to wiggle my way out of a sticky situation, when confronted with some crooked cops.
-In a late breaking email, a gringo listener (with a Colombian wife) describes some of the more common and clever new neighborhood extortion schemes that have been popping up in working class residential areas in Colombia, specifically in and around Barranquilla. Could it happen to me, you, or other Expats to? Should we be worried?
Listen and find out…
– Which Latin currencies are the strongest and most stable? Which are apparently good risks to hold, and why?
-More news on the very high interest rates Latin banks are offering in both US dollar funny money and local funny money accounts too.
-What Latin banks are conservative, strong and worth dealing with? How do clueless gringos search them out?
-How to take advantage of subtle local variations in currency exchange rates.
-Which Latin countries have the fastest growing fat-ass government bureaucracies, and why?
-A sad but true Latin holiday story..
– Examples how a corrupt congress and O’vomit are making it harder and harder for us citizens to become Expats. Examples how the US State Department is also making it more and more difficult for Expats to get residency in a foreign country. Time is running out on the options, the doors are slowly closing so you must get your plan B in motion now.
-Do you need a work permit to get a grunt service job in Latin America? Technically and officially yes. Today we discuss the “real’ Latin work permit situation (for gringos) as well and some workplace tips if when working for the man (off the books of course).
-Expats in Latin America can live nicely on a measly SS check- but only when they’re off the gringo tourist trail. That system works fine for now. But what will happen to those same Expats when the US dollar is finally taken down (as it must be) on the international economic stage? What will happen to Expats in Latin America who depend on a govt check? What happens to their dollar purchasing power?
– When a few Latins have small casual business meetings they often meet up in the local greasy spoon or McDonalds. However, when a first-world person is involved in a meeting suddenly the climate changes. The Latin contingent will do a ridiculous “upscale” shift to Starbucks or the I-Hop. Why might that be? Could it be the “gringo advantage” or I-Hop disadvantage?
– Authorities might close down an airport for a few hours during a crisis or emergency. Last week such a shutdown happened at Tucuman airport in Panama (Central America’s busiest airport). You’ll never guess why, not in a million years…
-More on the teetering Latin real estate house of cards. Concerning Central America: it looks like the coming collapse will start with Panama…
-Argentina’s got a new President, and the old thieving one (Kirchner) is being a very bad sport about turning over the reins. Meanwhile the currency is collapsing and many Airlines are no longer accepting their steadily devaluing peso.
-There are 100 reasons why Chicken bus drivers have the most dangerous jobs in Latin America.
-What happens to gringos and expats when they get issued parking tickets and/or moving violations? Naturally the transit fine system is on manana time too, even so, should you be worried?
-What happens when Latin businesses try to copy first world businesses?
-There are many thousands, of US government slugs posted in Latin America; contractors, embassy personal, military support, security people, clandestine operatives and more. Most of these govt drones seem to be clueless about the severe problems within the Big Brother police state they are part of. In fact , most are just putting in their time waiting it out for that fat pension (while they bury their classist snouts deep in the public trough). But what about those few enlightened govt. insiders living and working in Latin America who know the system can’t last and is about to implode? Today we have a story of one such guy…
-Vigilante groups: occasionally Latin citizens get so pissed off at their lazy ass cops, they the law into their own hands…
-We all know people stateside who live day to day on their credit cards and are absolutely terrible with money. Unfortunately, today Latin America today, credit card mania has arrived with a vengeance (within the middle classes and above) and now the whole individual and family society seems to be on the edge of insolvency.
