In the franchise \u201cThe Stars Behind the Star,\u201d the editors of Billboard Latin and Billboard Espa\u00f1ol share untold stories about those who are not usually in the spotlight. Think of \u201ceverything that happens off-camera\u201d or \u201ceverything that happens behind the scenes.\u201d These unsung heroes are essential to an artist\u2019s team and foundation. Today, we highlight Panama City\u2019s Mayor Mayer Mizrachi for hosting the first-ever edition of Premios Juventud in his country.<\/p>\n
\u201cPanama is shining!\u201d That\u2019s a phrase we heard multiple times during the week of Premios Juventud 2025, which took place on September 25 in Panama City. Part of Mayor Mayer Mizrachi\u2019s motto, \u201cThe City That Shines,\u201d aims to emphasize its tourism and cultural potential.<\/p>\n
More from Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n Mizrachi, a charismatic figure who became the youngest mayor in his country\u2019s history at 36 in 2024, decided to attend the Latin Grammys ceremony in Miami that year, marking his first experience on the red carpet. During the event, he met the Univision team, which sparked an initial conversation that eventually led to an invitation.<\/p>\n \u201cPanama didn\u2019t know how beautiful it was, how eclectic and differentiated it is from the rest of Central America and the Caribbean,\u201d Mizrachi said with satisfaction. According to a report by the Panamanian newspaper La Estrella de Panam\u00e1<\/a> on the local economic impact, Premios Juventud generated between 2,500 and 3,000 temporary jobs, increased hotel occupancy to approximately 75%, and boosted activity in restaurants and shopping centers.<\/p>\n For TelevisaUnivision, the broadcast \u2014 which included acclaimed performances by Panamanian artists like Erika Ender, Los Rabanes and Nando Boom \u2014 broke multiplatform records, achieving a year-over-year increase of +58%, with over 450 million total interactions across TV, social media, digital platforms, and ViX.<\/p>\n Via Zoom from his home in Panama City, Mizrachi spoke with Billboard about how the opportunity to host the first-ever edition of Premios Juventud outside the U.S. came to be. (He did so while sitting next to a new box of cereal, with which he planned to do one of his famous \u201cunboxings<\/a>\u201c\u2014the kind that initially made him popular on social media before becoming mayor, earning him thousands of followers.)<\/p>\n After that first connection at the 2024 Latin Grammys, how did the government respond to the idea of investing in Premios Juventud?<\/strong><\/p>\n It was a risk for everyone. When the government of President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Molino \u2014 who produced and invested in the event \u2014 was presented with the idea and went to the Assembly to request the budget allocation to pay for it, there was a lot of questioning. \u201cHey, but there are things we could do with that money. There are basic needs, and you want to spend it on a concert?\u201d There were many, many doubts about whether this was a reasonable investment, whether it was a legitimate use of public funds. There was also a clear lack of understanding of the impact this could have.<\/p>\n I knew it was going to be important, but I didn\u2019t know it was going to be so important for so many. I didn\u2019t know it was going to be significant for the foreigners who came. I didn\u2019t know it would stand out compared to other instances where these events have been produced, like in Miami or other cities. And I didn\u2019t know that part of the secret sauce was going to be Panama \u2014 Panamanian culture, the people of Panama. And I think that was quite moving.<\/p>\n How has this decision been perceived after seeing the economic impact it had?<\/strong><\/p>\n No one questions the investment, no one questions the way Mayer went to the [Latin] Grammys. Everyone thanks President Molino, thanks the participants who made this possible \u2014 from private companies to the central government. And now they\u2019re asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s next? What\u2019s coming?\u201d They asked me that yesterday. Where before they said, \u201cDo you think Panama needs this with so many problems?\u201d now they say, \u201cHey, what\u2019s next?\u201d because they realized this brings significant economic impact and enhances the national talent industry. It motivates local talent to say, \u201cI\u2019m going to step up my game to one day be on that stage.\u201d<\/p>\n In a way, it was like hearing sounds that aren\u2019t always as present in the U.S. How did it feel to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Look, that opening act was a tribute to Panamanian culture. It was still a celebration of Latin entertainment. You had salsa, then Sandra Sandoval from Panama, and then you had Panama\u2019s rockstars: Erika Ender, Los Rabanes and then Nando Boom, who was one of the pioneers of reggaet\u00f3n. Panama shone. That has always been my motto \u2014 that Panama is going to shine. After Premios Juventud \u2026 what you feel now in Panama is an atmosphere of patriotic renewal.<\/p>\n Why do you think people have connected with you not just as a mayor but as a public figure?<\/strong><\/p>\n I, regardless of what happens, will continue contributing to my country and to the people. I like helping. But it was never about handing things out either, because I personally see that as a form of populism \u2014 \u201cInstagram populism.\u201d And I don\u2019t think it\u2019s about being political. I think in this era of social media, we see people and personas where maybe many stay on the surface. And more than ever, people long to connect with something real, and not necessarily something perfect. On the contrary, it\u2019s precisely because it\u2019s imperfect that it feels real.<\/p>\n What music is playing in your famous Cybertruck<\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n Do you want to laugh? First of all, I\u2019m in a country phase. One of the songs I have on repeat is \u201cOrdinary\u201d by Alex Warren. [Also] \u201cHoly Water\u201d by Jelly Roll. I love Jelly Roll \u2014 he\u2019s the best. And \u201cLast of My Kind\u201d by Shaboozey.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Billboard VIP Pass<\/p>\n Best of Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for Billboard’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n