As part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Panama Convention, the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) today laid a wreath at the tomb of Liberator Simón Bolívar in Venezuela’s National Pantheon, together with the diplomatic corps accredited in the host country and officials from the organisation.

The Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Lesly David, presided over the solemn ceremony, accompanied by Milton Rengifo, Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela and Chair of SELA’s Latin American Council; Raúl Li Causi, Deputy Minister for the Caribbean of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry; and the two longest-serving officials in the organisation: Cora Romero, SELA’s Travel and Arrangements Official; and Alfredo Martínez, SELA’s General Services Assistant.

SELA was established on 17 October 1975 through the signing of the Panama Convention in response to the need to create a permanent system for consultation, coordination and cooperation among the countries of the region. That historic agreement, signed by 24 sovereign Latin American and Caribbean States, laid down the principles of equality, sovereignty, solidarity, non-intervention and mutual respect, which continue to guide the work of the organisation half a century later.

Over the past 50 years, SELA has been a regional benchmark in the coordination of public policies, the promotion of consensus and the strengthening of integration mechanisms. Its commitment to integration has been expressed in the development of a regional cooperation agenda, currently focused on three main areas: Economic Recovery, Digitalisation and Infrastructure, and Social Development, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Currently, under the leadership of Ambassador Lesly David, who was elected Permanent Secretary in June of this year, the organisation continues its strategic renewal process in order to respond to contemporary challenges in promoting a more resilient, convergent, and united region.

On this 50th anniversary, SELA reaffirms its mission to work towards a more integrated Latin America and the Caribbean, where regional cooperation is the driving force for overcoming structural gaps, promoting sustainable development and strengthening the region’s voice on the international stage.