Panama Mayor Enters Tunnel Contest Hoping Elon Builds Walkway Under Canal

KEY POINTS

•Mayer Mizrachi, Panama City's 38-year-old mayor, proposed a pedestrian tunnel under the Panama Canal to Elon Musk's Boring Company in January.
•The city was named one of 16 finalists in the Tunnel Vision challenge, standing out as the only contender outside the United States.
•Mizrachi highlighted his office's recent 50% staff cut and 32% budget reduction as proof of his efficiency-driven leadership.

Mayer Mizrachi, Panama City's 38-year-old mayor and former DOGE fanboy-turned-efficiency czar, pitched Elon Musk's Boring Company a free 0.6-mile pedestrian tunnel under the Panama Canal in January, hours before the deadline. His plan? A public underground shoelace with parks and educational screens showing canal history—because nothing says fun like underground canal screens thinner than your patience for politics. Panama, the only non-US finalist among 16, hopes to out-bore heavyweights in Texas and Tennessee, where tunnels cost more than the GDP of a small country. Mizrachi bragged about slashing 50% of City Hall staff and a 32% budget cut since taking office in July 2024. Deadline for the winner is March 23, proving city managers and tunnel builders love last-minute drama just as much as the rest of us do.