Panama's President José Raúl Mulino participated in the inauguration ceremony of Chile's elected president, José Antonio Kast. This event served to strengthen cooperation and integration between the two countries, taking into account the weight of the South American nation as a strategic commercial partner of Panama. Mulino was accompanied by First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino and Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Martínez-Acha at this event held in the Honor Hall of the National Congress in Valparaíso. The event was attended by 1,200 guests, including 18 international delegations and nearly 500 accredited media. According to the head of state, the official mission was positive and productive, especially due to the bilateral meeting held with President Kast and members of his cabinet. At the end of the ceremony, the heads of state were invited by President Kast and First Lady María Pía Adriazola to a reception at the Cerro Castillo Presidential Palace. Authorities highlighted that these spaces will allow for the expansion of the relationship between the two nations. The bilateral relationship between Panama and Chile maintains an important weight due to its historical ties and also due to the strategic role of the South American country as the first Latin American user and fourth worldwide user of the Panama Canal. During the official agenda, ministers Felipe Chapman (Economy and Finance), Julio Moltó (Commerce and Industries) and José Ramón Icaza (Canal Affairs) also participated, holding meetings with guild presidents and private sector business leaders from Chile. The meetings included representatives of the Infrastructure Policy Council, shipping company groups, and members of the Production and Commerce Confederation. The protocol acts included the handover of power to President José Antonio Kast and his cabinet, the presidential greeting, and the official photograph. In that meeting, it was agreed to maintain communication to advance the creation of a binational commission, with the idea of working on issues of common interest. Among the points mentioned are commercial exchange, security, transportation, and the agricultural sector, areas where both governments seek to strengthen cooperation.
