A group of government and state leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean visited the Cocolí Locks at the Panama Canal as part of their participation in the 2026 Latin America and Caribbean Economic Forum, organized by CAF. The visit highlighted the Canal’s continued importance as a strategic platform for regional logistics, trade, and economic integration.

The delegation was led by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and included several high-level regional figures, among them the presidents of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala, as well as the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the president-elect of Chile, and the executive president of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. During the visit, the delegation toured the expanded Canal infrastructure and participated in an official group photo at the Cocolí Locks.

Inaugurated in 2016 as part of the Panama Canal Expansion, the Cocolí Locks now mark a decade of operation and remain a symbol of the Canal’s increased capacity and its commitment to serving global maritime trade. The visiting leaders were welcomed by Minister for Canal Affairs José Ramón Icaza and Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, who provided a detailed briefing on lock operations, the Canal’s historical significance, and recent progress in water sustainability, operational efficiency, and technological innovation.

According to the Panama Canal Authority, the visit underscored the Canal’s role as a vital connection point for Latin America and the Caribbean, especially at a time when the region faces shared economic, climate, and geopolitical challenges. The event also reinforced Panama’s strategic relevance in regional and global commerce.