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Largely true! But not completely because there are exceptions......and your job is to find them.......But I grant you, its not eazy........Im pretty fed up and disgusted with the collective culture........and have been ready to go for a long time.........Not that eazy to get out once you get all the way in.........What do you think technorado, will we be on the same plane outta here? Hahaha.............

I don't really want to go because i like the area where i live and apart from a few local neighbors the people have accepted me here, i do not have much problems right now.
But always keep in mind that bad things can happen to you very fast here.

You aint wrong.........but remember, bad things can happen to you very fast anywhere.....Take Florida and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for example......I just wonder if its finally time to hunker down and get really ready.........

Yes bad things can happen everywhere but there is a difference if the people can and will help you if you need help or if they take advantage of the situation and make it more worse.

I no longer live in Panama

And Im traveling in Nicaragua, which until last nite has been great weather.......big front covering Panama and C.R. and extending slightly up here to Nica.......I like Nicaragua.......Its got more soul.......The people have suffered more......Theyre more self reliant.......more work oriented, but still too much poverty, which means too many theives........but comin up fast........generally, a very pleasant place, which explains why it now gets the bulk of the tourism instead of Panama and C.R.  San Juan is heaving with ex pats........plus its an easier deal to obtain residency....Panama is making things too expensive and complicated........Im in a holding pattern until the current administration is history.........

You're certainly trying to find a better tomorrow. I'll say your'e at least sticking your neck out to do so. We returned to the US in response to exactly what you refer to in Panama. We also had many obstacles from the locals to the government at every turn while establishing a legal very needed business. Panama is a country full of good people, laced with some very bad ones ( like all countries in the world). However, being in business there is the worst case scenario. It's not only difficult, but in some cases impossible depending upon your representation to the corrupt government, ( ie, excellent attorney ). Bad attorneys are not respected by the government and will cause you to lose your investment by leading you off into a hole.
We finally sold out and returned to the US, only to see what we worked so hard for simply vaporized in the poor economy here. It's been 9 years and nothing here has improved as far as viable business income is concerned. At least we are surrounded by family, can speak the language and navigate the government to a point.. That's worth a lot to us.
We we happy in Panama, yes and no... Our personal lives in relationship to our Panamanian neighbors was near perfect. They came to trust us and we them, that was huge to us. We blended with the locals as much as possible and didn't rock their boat... we all were happy.
On the other hand our business investment there was a flop, but we got out just in time by way of an excellent attorney. We got our investment back, no profit but a valuable lesson learned via all we endured in the process....
Is it a place you can be happy ? Yes, but only if you don't try to change the status quo. Also must have an income from a foreign country ( SS or the like ) . You're good in that case. free to move about the country, etc. You can rent a house wherever you want, eat local, and follow the way of the locals...you will not fail. You will get good advice from your neighbors, like stay far away from the government, etc.
That's the way we see it, based on our experience in Panama.