Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cancillería Costa Rica, announced on April 1, 2026, that its Permanent Representative, Ambassador Alejandra Solano Cabalceta, has assumed the presidency of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) until June 30, 2026. The ministry also outlined Costa Rica’s priorities during this period and later issued a statement regarding commercial measures imposed by China on Panamanian vessels.
In a post dated April 1, 2026, Cancillería Costa Rica stated: ” La Representante Permanente de Costa Rica, embajadora Alejandra Solano Cabalceta, asumió este 1 de abril la Presidencia del Consejo Permanente de @OEA_oficial para el período hasta el 30 de junio de 2026 https://t.co/PgvWQD1Mra”.
A subsequent tweet posted on the same day emphasized Costa Rica’s diplomatic objectives: “El país impulsará el diálogo político, la cooperación entre los Estados miembros y la construcción de consensos, con miras a la próxima Asamblea General que se celebrará en junio de 2026 en Panamá https://t.co/2pefQ42WMg”.
On April 4, 2026, Cancillería Costa Rica expressed concern over recent actions by China affecting international trade. The ministry wrote: “Costa Rica expresa profunda preocupación y la más firme condena por las medidas comerciales impuestas por la República Popular China a buques de Panamá por las demoras e inspecciones arbitararias e injustificadas en puertos de China, porque ponen en riesgo el comercio mundial”.
The Organization of American States is a regional organization that brings together countries from across the Americas to promote democracy and cooperation. The Permanent Council is one of its principal bodies and plays a key role in policy dialogue among member states. The next OAS General Assembly is scheduled to take place in Panama in June 2026.
China’s recent commercial measures toward Panamanian vessels have raised concerns about potential disruptions to global commerce and have drawn criticism from several governments in Latin America.
