Today, the presidents participating in the Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum 2026 visited the new locks of the Panama Canal, built under Panamanian administration. During the tour, they learned about the operation of the interoceanic route and its impact on world trade. The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, and the First Lady, Maricel Cohen de Mulino, hosted the delegation, which included Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva (Brazil); Daniel Noboa (Ecuador); Gustavo Petro (Colombia); Rodrigo Paz (Bolivia); Bernardo Arévalo (Guatemala); Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; and José Antonio Kast, President-elect of Chile. The group of leaders posed for the official photo on the giant gates of the Cocolí lock. Subsequently, they moved to the control tower, where President Lula da Silva —accompanied by President Mulino— had the honor of opening the gates for the transit of the container ship MSC Leo VI, which covers the Florida-Korea route. The Minister for Canal Affairs, José Ramón Icaza, and the Administrator of the Panama Canal Authority, Ricaurte Vásquez, also participated in the tour.
