The presidents of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, and Panama, José Raúl Mulino, will meet this Friday in the Costa Rican capital to address issues on the bilateral agenda, which in recent years has been marked by migration, trade, and the fight against organized crime. The Presidential House of Costa Rica reported that Mulino will be accompanied by the first lady of Panama, Maricel Cohen, without providing further details on his agenda or the specific matters to be discussed at the meeting. Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves stated that during the meeting, he will discuss with Mulino "issues of common interest" in search of agreements that will benefit these neighboring Central American countries. Chaves visited Panama in August 2024 to meet with Mulino, an encounter that focused on international trade issues, with the idea that the economies of their countries should be complementary to increase competitiveness. Delegations from Costa Rica and Panama have also held meetings in recent months to strengthen their bilateral ties in cooperation for border security, actions against organized crime, and measures to facilitate international trade. In 2024, trade exchange between Costa Rica and Panama amounted to $1.159 billion, of which $666 million corresponded to Costa Rican exports and $493 million to Panamanian exports, according to data from Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Promoter.
