Friday, May 23, 2025.
Faith Beyond Proof
From the Field & The Heart
In the world of influence and persuasion, we often hear about the importance of trust and confidence, and most books lump them together as if they mean the same thing. But the truth, at least in my experience, is that they’re profoundly different. And lately, I’ve come to see this contrast more clearly. Not in a classroom or boardroom, but in the quiet, human moments of being a father.
You see, I’ve come to understand that trust is conditional. I trust someone with my money because they have good credit and have paid me back before. I trust an employee to take care of a task because they’ve proven reliable. Trust is always earned, always based on some prior experience or track record. It’s an emotional contract built on history.
But confidence, I now believe, is something entirely different. It’s not basedCANV on their past, it’s based on my faith. It’s not something they earn, it’s something I give. And in many ways, it’s less about them and more about me, or perhaps, more accurately, something God may be whispering to me.
When someone says, “I’m confident in this person,” they’re often saying it without full evidence. It’s not the language of verification. It’s the language of hope, of belief, sometimes of divine prompting. I’ve started to believe that when I say, “I’m confident in this person,” I’m really saying, “I feel led, even without seeing, to believe in them.”
And that’s where parenting has made this lesson real for me.
I can’t say I fully trust my children to do their homework or to take out the trash when I ask them to. They’ve procrastinated. (So much procrastination.) They’ve forgotten. They’re still growing. But I have confidence that they will be great at whatever they apply themselves to.
And that confidence doesn’t come from their record, it comes from something deeper, something unconditional. It’s a sense that, no matter what the present moment looks like, they’re becoming the people they’re meant to be. And I get to believe in that, not because of what they’ve done, but because of who they are, and perhaps who I know they will become.
So here’s how I’ve started to frame it:
“Trust is based on what I know about your past. Confidence is based on what I believe about your future.”
Both are powerful. Both have their place. But only one, confidence, allows us to believe even in the absence of proof, and sometimes, that’s where the real magic is.
Until next time,
Brett Mikkelson
Director, B.M. Investigations, Inc.
Field Notes from a Life in Observation
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS:
Sinaproc Maintains Watch Advisory for Swells and Currents in the Pacific
The National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) has issued a watch advisory for swells and rip currents that will remain in effect until Sunday, May 25, 2025, in various areas along Panama’s Pacific coast.
According to the agency, the advisory covers the following regions:
• Central Pacific: Southern Veraguas, Azuero Peninsula, and Coclé, with waves ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 meters in height and periods of 18 to 21 seconds.
• Eastern Pacific: Gulf and Bay of Panama, Panama Oeste, and Darién, with waves ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 meters and periods of 17 to 19 seconds.
• Western Pacific: Gulf of Chiriquí and its coasts, with waves between 1.4 and 2.0 meters and periods of 18 to 21 seconds.
The Panamanian Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Impha) reported a ground swell approaching the entire Pacific coastline of Panama. This condition could lead to rip currents and strong wave breakings along coastal areas.
In light of this situation, Sinaproc urges the population to:
- Fishermen: Take precautions, ensure navigation equipment is in good condition, and wear life jackets.
- Swimmers and vulnerable communities: Take preventive measures due to the risks posed by swells and rip currents.
- General public: Follow safety rules and regulations issued by authorities at ports and beaches.
Google Meet Will Translate Dialogues Between English and Spanish in Real Time
Google Meet announced on Tuesday that starting today, it can translate conversations between English and Spanish while preserving the speaker’s voice thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). The announcement was made by the tech giant during its Google I/O developer conference.
According to Sundar Pichai, the company’s CEO, this new feature helps people overcome language barriers “almost in real time,” while maintaining the speaker’s voice, tone, and expression.
The tech giant showcased the new feature at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California—home to Google’s headquarters—with a pre-recorded video showing a conversation between an American and a Latina woman discussing a house rental, each speaking in their native language.
“The result is an authentic and natural conversation, even across different languages—whether it’s English-speaking grandchildren effortlessly chatting with their Spanish-speaking grandparents, or colleagues around the world connecting from different continents,” Google said in a statement.
For now, the tool is only available in beta for subscribers of the Google AI Pro and Ultra plans, but the company emphasized that it “will soon be available for businesses.”
Google also announced that more languages will be added in the coming weeks, although it did not specify which ones.
Venezuela and Panama Could Resume Their Commercial Flights
The website Informe Aéreo highlighted that, following discussions and negotiations, agreements were reportedly reached between Panamanian and Venezuelan aviation authorities.
Commercial flights between Panama and Venezuela, which were suspended in July 2024, will be progressively resumed with flights to the city of Caracas.
According to sources close to the matter, authorities are expected to announce the official date for the resumption of flights between the two countries.
Informe Aéreo reported that sources from Venezuela’s National Institute of Civil Aviation confirmed that after a series of talks with their Panamanian counterparts, the reestablishment of commercial flights was agreed upon.
However, airlines will now need to reorganize their schedules to cover cities in both Venezuela and Panama.
Venezuelan aviation lawyer Rodolfo Ruiz shared the news on his X account, stating that direct flights between Panama and Venezuela will finally resume.
Prosecutor’s Office Issues Arrest Warrant Against Saúl Méndez and Genaro López for Alleged Fraud
An arrest warrant has been issued this Wednesday by the Second Prosecutor’s Office Against Organized Crime against union leaders Saúl Méndez and Genaro López for the alleged crime of aggravated fraud.
Méndez is currently at the Bolivian Embassy, while the whereabouts of López remain unknown.
Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha ruled out on Wednesday that Méndez is a political persecuted individual, emphasizing that Panama is a country where the rule of law is respected.
“I cannot make any judgments about an ongoing investigation, but Mr. Saúl Méndez, if necessary, would be protected by all the guarantees our Constitution offers to all citizens,” he stated.
According to the foreign minister, around 2:30 a.m., the union leader approached the Bolivian Embassy in Panama, located in El Cangrejo, and climbed over the fence.
“We will wait for the decision of the Plurinational State of Bolivia before taking action as a country. I can say in advance that Panama respects the institution of diplomatic asylum,” he emphasized.
Yesterday, Ipacoop (the Panamanian Institute for Cooperative Autonomy) announced the cancellation of the legal status of Suntracs’ cooperative.
Authorities stated that the cooperative’s operations show it has been used as a financial intermediary for the union, channeling funds to other individuals and companies to the detriment of its own members.
“The decision made by Ipacoop, as the regulatory body responsible for promoting and overseeing cooperatives, aims to strengthen and maintain the sustainability of the system,” said its director.
Given these irregularities, the institution will safeguard members’ funds through a liquidation committee, ensuring that the cooperative’s more than 2,000 members can rest assured that their assets are protected.
Massive Phishing and Artificial Intelligence Cyberattacks: A Systemic Risk for Panamanian Banking
Panama, as a regional financial hub and highly digitized logistics platform, faces a new type of systemic risk: AI-assisted banking phishing. This threat, which no longer distinguishes between domestic users and robust institutions, has the potential to compromise the operational stability of the financial system and affect the country’s international competitiveness, explains Rigo Castillo, Service Architect at Sistemas Aplicativos (SISAP), a cybersecurity firm with regional presence.
At the same time, Fortinet’s recently published report “Global Threat Landscape 2025” warns of an unprecedented acceleration in the scale and sophistication of cyberattacks. In Panama’s case, malicious emails remain the most common vector but are now supported by generative AI algorithms that allow attackers to customize messages, simulate legitimate communications, and evade traditional defense systems.
The post-pandemic digital environment—marked by remote work and exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT)—has expanded the attack surface and facilitated the automation of techniques such as privilege escalation and exfiltration of sensitive data, Castillo highlights.
The data is clear: one in three malicious emails manages to bypass existing cybersecurity solutions. This means that the protection of banking institutions and their clients often depends on the individual judgment of the end user. In an environment where attacks are designed to manipulate emotions like fear or urgency, this margin of error represents a critical vulnerability.
The consequences are significant. At the institutional level, phishing can lead to intellectual property theft, operational disruptions, revenue losses, and severe damage to corporate reputation. For citizens, it can result in identity theft, bank account draining, and loss of control over personal information. In a country like Panama—regionally connected, with sophisticated banking and high digital usage—the effects of a successful attack can create a “domino effect” that even impacts the country’s international competitiveness.
Today, cybercriminals don’t need brute force. They just need someone to click. With AI, phishing attacks are nearly undetectable and designed to manipulate human emotions such as fear or urgency. Added to this, Panama as a regional financial hub with high connectivity and banking presence becomes an attractive target for cybercriminals,” Castillo details.
Smart Prevention: A Possible and Accessible Defense
Although Panama has developed regulatory frameworks and established entities like CSIRT Panama and Data Protection Law 81, implementing cybersecurity strategies still faces challenges, especially in the public sector.
However, the banking sector has been more proactive: they have adopted technologies such as EDRs (Endpoint Detection and Response), network segmentation, and user awareness policies to minimize risks. At the same time, they focus on complying with both local and international cybersecurity regulations, applying best practices based on discovered vulnerabilities, lessons learned, and risk mitigation.
In this scenario, SISAP experts recommend: distrust any message (via phone, email, or text) requesting confidential data or identity verification; responsibly use Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT); and implement technological solutions to protect users and clients, especially within the financial or governmental sectors.
Also important is to conduct constant phishing tests to measure user awareness. Remember, one out of every three emails is not filtered by existing technology, and much depends on the end user’s level of awareness about phishing attacks.
About SISAP
SISAP, Sistemas Aplicativos S.A., founded in 1985, is a market leader in Information Technology and Security with presence in 10 countries across the region. It offers a broad portfolio of services and solutions focused on information security, with over 1,000 certifications that endorse the quality of service provided to its clients.
With over 40 years of experience, they are leaders in providing security solutions and services to clients in Latin America, supported by a workforce of more than 400 employees (60% engineers), forensic laboratories, a cybersecurity academy, over 100 partner brands, and regional offices located in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Paraguay, Mexico, and the United States.
The Best Coffee in the World in 2025 Comes from This Caribbean Country
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and although one might think the best coffee comes from Colombia, according to the Taste Atlas guide, the best coffee in the world is produced in a Caribbean country, while the best type of coffee comes from an island in the Americas.
According to the Coffee National Data Trends (NCDT) report, conducted in January 2025, two-thirds of American adults drink coffee daily (66%), a figure higher than the daily consumption of tea, juices, soft drinks, and bottled water. Each American coffee drinker consumes an average of 3 cups per day.
The report states that home is the most popular place to prepare coffee, while supermarkets are the most popular place to buy it. But which is the best coffee? Discover it here.
This Is the Best Coffee in the World — and It Doesn’t Come from Colombia or Italy
According to Taste Atlas, the best coffee in the world is produced in Panama, specifically at Hacienda La Esmeralda. “Hacienda La Esmeralda is synonymous with premium coffee and one of the most prestigious specialty coffee producers worldwide. Located in the beautiful Boquete region of Panama, this family-owned farm has a tradition of more than half a century,” the guide states.
Currently, Hacienda La Esmeralda produces exclusive microlots of Geisha coffee, available only through auctions and select sales channels. “Each batch of their coffee results from meticulously controlled cultivation, careful hand-picking, and innovative processing methods, ensuring an unforgettable flavor and experience in every cup,” Taste Atlas notes.
Ninety Plus Coffee and Elida Estate, both in Panama, complete the top three best coffee producers, followed by Gesha Village Coffee Estate in Ethiopia, Finca El Injerto in Guatemala, and Café Granja La Esperanza in Colombia.
Cuban Coffee, the Best Type of Coffee in the World
Regarding coffee types, as of May 17, Taste Atlas ranks Cuban coffee as the best type of coffee in the world. This coffee is a unique kind of “pre-sweetened espresso,” consisting of an espresso shot sweetened with demerara sugar during preparation. According to the guide, this espresso variety is made by mixing the darkest roasts with sugar, resulting in a light brown foam on top of the coffee.
The top five best coffee types are completed by Greece’s espresso freddo, cappuccino and ristretto from Italy, and Vietnamese iced coffee.
