Today, 200 years later, we face a similar test. The region is experiencing a profound struggle between democracy and authoritarianism, a fight between respect for popular will and the usurpation of power. Given this situation, Panama cannot remain silent, stated the head of state.
He reiterated the importance of this congress amid the current political and social situation in the region, and for this reason, he called for unity, coordination, and work from all countries to face the challenges of America as sister nations, such as the one currently facing Venezuela, on which topic he explained Panama has already stated its position with full knowledge and political integrity.
He recalled the situation that the isthmus went through after years of dictatorship and the fateful events of December 20, 1989, and how it was precisely the mechanisms based on democracy that helped to rebuild a country that had been practically alone in its darkest moments.
Thus, Panama will be the home for dialogue, concertation, and multilateral diplomacy, reaffirming its historical vocation as a meeting point for nations, he added.
In recognition of the importance of this historic congress, President Mulino is organizing and promoting a commemoration that includes diplomatic, intergovernmental, academic, cultural, sports, and other activities throughout 2026, declared the "Year of the Bicentennial of the Congress of Panama" by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
Both international bodies will hold their main meetings in Panama around the date of the installation of the 1826 Congress, during the month of June.
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, accompanied by his wife, First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino, state ministers, and authorities of the Legislative and Judicial branches, officially launched the Bicentennial of the Congress of Panama, marking 200 years since the first was convened by liberator Simón Bolívar in 1826, a milestone that became the first formal expression of a multilateral system in America.
During the event, held in the Bolívar Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE), President Mulino highlighted the importance of celebrating this event with various activities in the country this year, declared the Year of the Congress of Panama, to commemorate a singular moment in the history of America and the world, as the congress, convened by Bolívar, aimed to create a confederation among the newly independent states: a "nation of republics," in the liberator's own words.
"Panama begins the Bicentennial year at a moment of enormous transcendence for Latin America. Additionally, President Mulino will convene a meeting of Heads of State and Government to commemorate this bicentennial and promote the principles set forth in the historic assembly held two hundred years ago.
Through these activities, the Government of Panama expresses its will to keep the anfictic legacy of the 1826 Congress alive and to promote the unity of the peoples, republican and democratic governance, and the multilateral system that has produced such valuable contributions to the world.
President Mulino insisted that the way out for Venezuela, as it was for Panama, lies in respect for democracy and the popular will of the people.
"The Congress of Panama left us an idea that remains current: sovereignty does not belong to governments, it belongs to the peoples. The country ceased to be a peripheral observer to once again become an actor with the capacity to propose on issues such as trade, logistics, sustainability, democracy, and global governance; we ceased to be silent actors, and today we are the reliable bridge between regions, interests, and visions of the world," he emphasized.
"Panama will be the epicenter of the hemispheric dialogue for the nations that will come to commemorate the 200 years of the Congress of Panama convened by Simón Bolívar, as a dream of continental unity. Two centuries ago, Bolívar convened the nascent countries of America to prevent independence from vanishing in civil wars, caudillismo, and foreign domination. That mandate cannot be ignored, distorted, or replaced by power arrangements that perpetuate the same structures that led to the institutional, economic, and human collapse of that brother country," stated the head of state.
The official launch of the event was attended by the presidents of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) and the National Assembly (AN), Magistrate María Cristina Chen Stanziola and Deputy Jorge Herrera, respectively, and the president of the Bolivarian Society of Panama and Deputy Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation, Carlos Guevara Mann.
In turn, the Chancellor of the Republic, Javier Martínez-Acha, indicated that the countries of America must strengthen their unity, effort, and joint work based on dialogue, diplomacy, and multilateralism, in a world that seems to yield only to the noise of weapons and the weight of selfish interest.
"Bolívar's dream must once again call upon the peoples with the same message of two centuries ago, but strengthened, because more than repeating history we must continue it… Today the multilateralism of organizations like the UN or the OAS cannot be occupying the seat of passive witnesses who at the end of the game have the role of unwanted guests," he said.
He highlighted the efforts made by the government of President Mulino to strengthen Panama's role in the region and the world, carrying out an international policy aimed at recovering its prestige and world space; and events like the Congress of Panama are part of the country's mission to strengthen and unite America in dialogue and democratic respect.
"During this government, we have once again been heard, respected, and consulted in the main multilateral spaces. In Venezuela, a people expressed itself clearly and massively at the polls in 2024. Bolívar understood that without institutions, without legality, and without respect for the will of the peoples, freedom would be fragile. That fundamental truth guides the foreign policy of my government today."
