Global Intel Hub — Knoxville, TN — 8/21/2025 — Intelligence Storm is a Podcast that offers deep macro insights on the world with the big picture in mind.  John Perkins is a rare find, as he has worked for the Establishment as a self-described “Economic Hit Man” who would pitch unreasonable loans to impoverished 3rd world countries in a ploy to get their resources, a foreign policy based on business interest originally hatched during the Banana Wars: [1]

The most influential figure outside of the US government in Latin America during this time was the United Fruit Company. Led by CEO Samuel Zemurray who was known as the Banana Man used the United States Military to exercise his influence over Latin America for his own economic gain.^[4] The United Fruit Company held large amounts of land, railroads, and ports across Latin America which allowed them to essentially rule over these nations.^[4] By owning large amounts of railroads across the continent, the United Fruit Company was able to lower transportation and have an advantage over the other fruit companies.^[17] Zemurray followed a business strategy called vertical integration, which allowed him to control every aspect of the supply chain allowing them to maximize profits. The United Fruit Company and Zemurray left a lasting legacy on Latin America by using political influence as a business in order to achieve the business interests.

In Honduras, the United Fruit Company actively supported another regime and with the help of the insurgents staged a coup in 1911. During this time Zemurray actively supported the insurgents with weapons and with the help on the US navy, led to the removal of Miguel R. Dávila, who was removed due to laws passed that hurt UFC’s profits. Following the coup, former president Francisco Bonilla was reinstated as president. The new leader Bonilla allowed Zemurray to run his company as he pleased and made him in charge of the country’s finances.^[4]

John Perkins was recruited by a consulting firm that was alleged to be a CIA front, his job was an economist who would present loans to countries well known they couldn’t repay, in exchange for lucrative energy deals.  Through his experiences he understood the spirituality of the system, compounded by his experience of being saved by Shamans, led him to be a prolific writer, speaker, and proponent of a life based prosperity system of Capitalism that creates life, rather than destroys (which is death). For more information see johnperkins.org

See what John Perkins has to say about Crypto, his experiences, and the future of markets on Intelligence Storm:

References

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_Wars

The Banana Wars were a series of conflicts that consisted of military occupation, police action, and intervention by the United States in Central America and the Caribbean between the end of the Spanish–American War in 1898 and the inception of the Good Neighbor policy in 1934.^[1] The military interventions were primarily carried out by the United States Marine Corps, which also developed a manual, the Small Wars Manual (1921), based on their experiences. On occasion, the United States Navy provided gunfire support and the United States Army also deployed troops.

With the Treaty of Paris signed in 1898, control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines fell to the United States (surrendered from Spain). The United States conducted military interventions in Cuba, Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. These conflicts ended when the US withdrew from Haiti in 1934 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The term “banana wars” was popularized in 1983^[2] by writer Lester D. Langley. Langley wrote several books on Latin American history and American intervention, including: The United States and the Caribbean, 1900–1970 and The Banana Wars: An Inner History of American Empire, 1900–1934. His work regarding the Banana Wars encompasses the entire United States tropical empire, which overtook the Western Hemisphere, spanning both Roosevelt presidencies. The term was popularized through this writing and portrayed the United States as a police force sent to reconcile these warring tropical countries, lawless societies, and corrupt politicians, essentially establishing US reign over tropical trade.

[2] johnperkins.org John Perkins, born on January 28, 1945, in Hanover, New Hampshire, is an American author, activist, and self-described former “economic hit man” (EHM) whose controversial career and writings have spotlighted allegations of economic imperialism by Western powers, particularly the United States. Early Life and Education Perkins grew up in New Hampshire and graduated from the Tilton School in 1963. He attended Middlebury College for two years before dropping out, later earning a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Boston University in 1968. Facing the possibility of being drafted into the Vietnam War—a conflict he opposed on principle—Perkins underwent rigorous interviews, including lie detector tests, facilitated by his father-in-law’s connections in the Department of the Navy and the National Security Agency (NSA). This experience set the stage for what he later claimed was NSA involvement in his professional path. Career From 1968 to 1970, Perkins served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, primarily in the Amazon rainforest, where he learned Spanish and survival skills—experiences encouraged by an NSA contact for their potential future utility. Upon returning, he was recruited by the Boston-based consulting firm Chas. T. Main, rising to the role of chief economist. Perkins alleges he was screened by the NSA and trained as an EHM by a handler named Claudine, with the firm’s senior vice president having ties to the NSA and CIA. In this capacity, he claims to have advised organizations like the World Bank, United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), U.S. Treasury Department, and Fortune 500 corporations, working with heads of state across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. His first major assignment was in Indonesia in the early 1970s, where he purportedly convinced the government to accept oversized loans for infrastructure projects, knowing the country would struggle to repay them—ultimately benefiting American companies through contracts and debt leverage. Similar work followed in countries like Iran, Panama, Colombia, and other parts of Latin America, involving bribery, threats of political upheaval, and economic manipulation to secure deals. In Panama, Perkins developed a personal friendship with leader Omar Torrijos, whose resistance to such tactics contributed to Perkins’ growing crisis of conscience. After about a decade in the role, Perkins quit around 1980 during a vacation in the Caribbean, where he reflected on his actions as akin to modern-day enslavement through debt. He then founded and directed an independent alternative energy company in the 1980s. In 2016, he claimed he was poisoned in 2005, possibly by the NSA or CIA, leading to a diagnosis of diverticulosis. Notable Works Perkins has authored 11 books on economics, geopolitics, and indigenous cultures, which have sold millions of copies in over 35 languages and spent more than 70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His most famous is Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (2004), a semi-autobiographical account of his alleged EHM experiences that became a bestseller. Updated editions, including The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (2016) and a third edition focusing on China’s similar economic strategies, have followed—even being published in China. Other works draw from his time with indigenous peoples and explore shamanism, such as Psychonavigation: Techniques for Travel Beyond Time (1999), Shapeshifting: Shamanic Techniques for Global and Personal Transformation (1997), The World Is As You Dream It: Teachings from the Amazon and Andes (1994), and The Stress-Free Habit: Powerful Techniques for Health and Longevity from the Andes, Yucatan, and the Far East (1989). Activism and Current Activities Since leaving his consulting career, Perkins has become an advocate for environmental protection, indigenous rights, and economic reform. He founded nonprofits focused on these issues and received the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace in 2012 for his efforts. He frequently speaks at high-profile venues, including the United Nations, World Bank, TED Talks, indigenous gatherings, and universities like Harvard and Oxford. Perkins also leads transformational travel adventures to the mountains and rainforests of Central and South America, emphasizing lessons from indigenous cultures. As of 2025, he continues to share his story through media appearances, such as a Vice News interview reflecting on his life’s impact on global economics and the planet’s future.