• Johnny announces his next one-week Latin American Insider seminar in Guatemala and El Salvador (November 14–20, 2026).
• He observes that most small tiendas, mini-marts, and wholesale businesses across Latin America are owned by Chinese and Koreans.
• Large chain stores like La Torre, Costco, and Walmart are owned by wealthy Latino families, while smaller scruffier shops are Asian-owned.
• Hardware stores (ferreterías) are a rare exception rarely owned by Asians due to the specialized product knowledge required.
• Asians are described as highly industrious, frugal, and work long hours, rarely spending on restaurants, bars, or vacations except for nice cars.
• Latinos generally do not resent Asian business dominance and would not trade places with them because of cultural differences in spending and lifestyle.
• Johnny strongly recommends using the “hidden wallet” feature with an extra passphrase on Ledger or Trezor cold wallets for better security after recent hacks.
• He reviews median fixed broadband speeds in Latin America, with Chile leading at 335 Mbps and Cuba at the bottom with only 4 Mbps.
• Prescription drugs (including Viagra, pain meds, opioids, and now GLP-1s) are widely available without a prescription at many mom-and-pop pharmacies despite official rules.
• Ecuadorian authorities have seized over 20,000 motorcycles since 2021 for lack of plates, registration, or licenses, which Johnny celebrates.

Be sure to pick up my newly updated, "2026 - LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT":

The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest "Stem Cell Clinic" info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com