CLACE 2025: Latin America Facing a New Global Trade Landscape

The 41st Latin American Foreign Trade Congress (CLACE 2025), held in Panama, brought together leaders, experts, and key stakeholders in the sector to reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing our region in today’s international trade environment.

During the forum, Latin America’s remarkable resilience was highlighted, as the region has shown one of the fastest recoveries in foreign trade following the pandemic. Despite multiple global shocks over the past two decades, Latin America’s share in global trade has remained stable—reflecting its capacity to adapt.

However, the forum also addressed structural challenges that require strategic attention. Among them: the high concentration of trade with just two partners—over 50% with the United States and China—and low levels of intraregional trade, which remain at only 15%, far below the average in other emerging economies.

Experts agreed on the urgent need to pursue greater diversification of markets and products, strengthen regional integration, and capitalize on comparative advantages arising in the current context of global trade tensions. For instance, Latin American exports face relatively low tariffs in the United States, offering a window of opportunity for the region’s export industries.

We invite you to explore the key insights shared by Gustavo Acero, AVP of Economic Studies at Bladex, during his presentation at CLACE 2025: “Opportunities for Latin American Trade in a World of High Uncertainty.”