Snowcat:
Interesting input.
However this forum is not only for US or europeans retired captains trying to make money out of a new place and company to fly with.
Central and southamerican pilots have little or no airlines that are hiring as COPA. I can say that all pilots on central america (except salvadorians) have no other airline to apply to than COPA; and salvadorians have TACA (which now owned by Avianca will hire more colombian pilots).
Southamerican companies are not hiring either (LATAM is very slow).
European companies are not hiring (unless you want to pay for your type rating and give it a try with Ryanair). That's why there are a lot of spanish pilots flying in COPA.
If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't.
US low time pilots can definetly start flying for a regional (making $20k a year), which is way below the poverty line. So, flying with COPA makes sense to a lot of people.