Although it coincided with the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, the Carlos Titi Alvarado auditorium of the National Assembly registered a large attendance during the forum “Panama and the United States: Investment, Innovation and Freedom for the Future”, in which figures from organized civil society and diplomacy agreed on the need to strengthen democratic institutions and deepen the bilateral relationship. One of the most prominent panels, entitled “Democracy and Innovation: Strengthening Institutions and Citizenship”, featured the participation of former Foreign Minister Jorge Eduardo Ritter, civic leader Aurelio Barría and Humberto Collado, Senior Manager of Government Affairs at the International Republican Institute (IRI).
