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Now, let's get into the conversation.
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Hey everyone, I'm here in Panama with the mayor of Panama, whose name is Mayor.
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What's fascinating to me about mayor is that all of us know what happens when the government
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grows and grows and grows in power.
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And there is really no better example than what happened to mayor with censorship.
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So I want to hear his story.
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Just give us a quick briefing.
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How did you end up in jail?
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And then you became the mayor.
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I was all 27 years old.
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So 10 years ago, the government of Panama used a contract that I had with the government
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to go against politicians.
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And regardless of the facts, they put me in a jail.
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They shut my bank accounts.
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They closed my Instagram by social media, everything.
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And the media wouldn't take any interviews, they didn't want the truth.
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They wanted their truth, their story.
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So it was 10 years of an uphill battle to become an undeniable voice that later converted
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that into an action and social impact that got me elected with the cheapest campaign
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in history with zero advertising, zero funds raised.
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And that was thanks to whatever freedom of speech you were able to find through social
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And I got to say, like, if Twitter wasn't purchased by Elon Musk and converted in tax,
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I don't think I would be here today.
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I can't imagine what it was like for you to sit there in jail in Colombia thinking about
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what the next day would be like, yet years later, you look back and you are now the
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Yeah, it's crazy because it's like a magic trick.
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It's like I drugged into water, I came out dry because I got a clean criminal record.
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So how were they able to stick me in a prison where they literally put convicts?
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And what did I think about next day?
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Well, I thought I was coming out every day.
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And it was a hard up and down, emotional up and down, lifting your spirits and then being
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drove back down to the ground and lift them out.
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It was like that every day for six months.
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So many Americans are confused about socialism, communism, capitalism, fairness.
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What is your advice living here in Panama after what you went through?
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What should Americans know that they don't know because they haven't seen what Latin
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America looks like when big government takes over?
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Listen, you don't want government in every part of your life.
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Even in my administration, I've reduced the size of government.
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I cut the staff by 50%, the budget by 38%, and I'm trying to do create a system where
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it's independent from the government.
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I'm trying to reduce the size of government and making sure that it's the people, businesses,
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entrepreneurs, the people that are in control, not the government because I'm a great politician.
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That's every ball, as you will see that.
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But I don't know who the next guy is going to be.
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So I'm going to create a system that is not in my fit that it's in everyone else's
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That's what you want being a politician.
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Free market economies that create efficiencies, prosperity, and opportunity to everyone
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Well, Mayor, what I want in politicians, in addition to honesty, is courage and bravery.
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And I think we're starting to see a generation of people who are stepping into the political
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world where they are willing to do what is right and have the courage to fight even at
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a heavy price like the one that you paid.
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And so you're an inspiration, Americans love Panama.
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We love coming here.
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We love that you have been able to make the right choices and inside with us the United
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And so we're going to be watching, we're going to be watching you all.
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We love America too.
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And we are blessed that America has paid attention and cared for Panama again.
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We're lucky and we're looking forward to the next 10, 20, 50 years of our relationship
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as the beacon of American democracy in Latin America.
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This is a country that was created thanks to America.
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And I got to say, America is the strongest ally, not just in trade, but in values.
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And that's what matters the most.
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So thank you for what you guys are doing because it influences everything that you're
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Bless you and friends, follow the mayor of Panama on X and on Instagram.
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I'm sure he's going to be doing great things.
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And come visit here.
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It's a lot of fun, especially in the way it's always so.