Panama's President José Raúl Mulino stated that with its strategic weight, Latin America has the right to claim a stronger role in international organizations, including a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Mulino also put Panama as an example of constant pressure. From Panama, at the inauguration of the International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, he launched a direct message to the region: if Latin America does not walk together, it will remain weak in an increasingly harsh and less idealistic world. For the head of state, integration is not a beautiful speech, it is an urgent need. Mulino said that only as a 'single block' can the region have real bargaining power and defend itself against external threats. He recalled that the world is entering a new international order where raw diplomacy weighs more than good intentions, and warned that Latin America has already paid dearly for past mistakes for not acting united. The Panamanian president highlighted that the region is not a minor thing. He pointed out that the country has lived through tensions due to the strategic value of the Panama Canal and its port system, which moves about 10 million containers a year. 'No one doubts Panama's ability to withstand pressure,' he said, making it clear that the country's location always puts it on the radar of the great powers. Before the presidents and heads of government present, Mulino insisted that Panama does not compete with the region, but complements it. He emphasized that world trade becomes more efficient using the Canal, a route that — he said — is at the service of all of Latin America and the Caribbean. The message was firm: without unity, the region will continue to watch as others decide its destiny. President José Raúl Mulino spoke clearly and without mincing words. He spoke about its food production capacity, its water reserves, its biodiversity, its minerals, and its renewable resources.
