Latin American leaders visit the Panama Canal during 2026 regional economic forum

Government and state leaders from seven Latin American countries visited the Cocolí Locks at the Panama Canal. This visit was organized as part of their trip to Panama for the 2026 Latin America and Caribbean Economic Forum, organized by CAF.

The delegation was led by the President of the Republic of Panama José Raúl Mulino, and included the President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Bolivia Rodrigo Paz, President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa, President of Guatemala Bernardo Arévalo; and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, President-elect of Chile José Antonio Kast, and the Executive President of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean Sergio Díaz-Granados.

An official photograph was taken of the delegation at the Cocolí Locks, which were inaugurated in 2016 as part of the Panama Canal Expansion and now mark ten years in operation. These locks, which significantly increased the capacity of the canal, are a symbol of the Panama Canal Authority´s commitment to serve global maritime trade and international commerce.

The delegation was welcomed by the Minister for Canal Affairs José Ramón Icaza and the Administrator of the Panama Canal Ricaurte Vásquez Morales. During the visit, the leaders received a comprehensive briefing on the operation of the locks, their historical significance, and recent advances in water sustainability, operational efficiency, and technological innovation.

The visit underscores the Panama Canal’s central role as a platform for logistics and trade integration in Latin America and the Caribbean. This role is especially significant as the region confronts shared economic, climate, and geopolitical challenges that are central to the discussions of Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum organized by CAF.