Panama – The XXXIX Ordinary Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) concluded this Friday with a highly positive balance, consolidating its role as a regional space for political concertation and the development of legislative initiatives with regional scope, under the motto “For the Sustainability of Latin America and the Caribbean in a Changing World.”
During this final session, led by the President of the Organization, Deputy Rolando González Patricio, and conducted by Deputy Juan Martín Rodríguez, General Secretary, the Assembly approved a set of high-impact political and social instruments for the region: six Declarations, one Resolution, and five Model Laws, aimed at strengthening democratic governance, sustainable development, and the protection of human rights. Among the approved documents, the Declaration of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament in support of a Treaty on the protection of persons in cases of disasters stood out, presented by Loyce Pace, Regional Director for the Americas of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and considered a relevant step toward a treaty that does not remain on the international plane but is incorporated into international law.
The approved Declarations also cover strategic themes such as the global fight against hunger and malnutrition, which will be presented at the III World Parliamentary Summit to be held this year; responsible governance of water tenure; the promotion of healthy diets in Latin America and the Caribbean; the promotion of care policies; and the definition of a regional cybersecurity agenda, reflecting a comprehensive vision in the face of the main contemporary challenges.
Likewise, the Assembly adopted the Resolution for the creation of a Special Commission on the Caribbean, reinforcing an institutional space dedicated to addressing the specific challenges of the region’s island States.
In the legislative sphere, progress was made with the approval of relevant Model Laws, including the Model Law against Trafficking in Persons; the Model Law on Prison Policies with a Gender and Social Reintegration Approach; the Model Law for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancies; the Comprehensive Model Law for the Care and Conservation of the Environment; and the Model Law to Combat Illicit Trade and Transnational Organized Crime, strengthening the regional normative framework and offering concrete tools for national parliaments.
The Assembly also approved the budget project for the 2026 fiscal year, presented by the Executive Secretary, Elías A. Castillo G.
With the culmination of its work, the XXXIX Ordinary Assembly of the PARLATINO reaffirms that legislative integration, multilateralism, and regional cooperation are indispensable pillars for responding to the challenges of a world in transformation. The Organization will reconvene, by statutory mandate, at the end of this year for the renewal of its authorities, continuing its historic mission to promote consensuses, strengthen the regional voice, and build common solutions in service of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.
