Established in 1996 as a joint initiative of CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, the Inter-American Dialogue, and the Organization of American States, the Annual CAF Conference brings together more than 1,000 world leaders to debate and discuss the most pressing developments facing the Americas. Now in its historic 20th year, the conference has grown to become the primary forum for policy makers and analysts, journalists, governments and international organizations, entrepreneurs and investors, and civil society representatives to review progress in the Western Hemisphere and address pending challenges.

Co-Organizers

Media Partners

Wednesday, September 7

Thursday, September 8

Gustau Alegret (Spain) is a political correspondent and anchor for NTN24 in Washington, DC. He was previously a US correspondent for RAC1 Radio in Barcelona and a regular contributor to Diario de Tarragona.
  @GustauAlegret  @NTN24

Cecilia Alemany (Uruguay) is coordinator of the South American Network of Applied Economics (Red Sur) and an advisor to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Uruguay. She previously coordinated research for Uruguay+25.
  @AlemanyCecilia  @Red_Mercosur

Alicia Bárcena (Mexico) is executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. She was previously undersecretary general for management under Ban Ki-Moon, cabinet chief to Kofi Annan, and coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean Sustainable Development Program. Bárcena has been a member of the Inter-American Dialogue since 2010 and sits on the Board of Directors.
  @AliciaBarcena  @ECLAC_UN

Marc Bassets (Spain) is US bureau chief for El País. He was previously a US and EU correspondent for La Vanguardia in Spain.
  @MarcBassets  @El_Pais

Mario Bergara (Uruguay) is president of the Central Bank of Uruguay. He served as minister of the economy and finance from 2013 to 2015 and previously directed the country’s Communications Services Regulatory Unit.
  @BancoCentral_Uy

Joe Biden (US) is the 47th vice president of the United States. He previously represented Delaware in the US Senate, where he was chair of the Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees.
  @VP  @JoeBiden @White House

Adrián Bonilla (Ecuador) is a professor at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), which he previously directed as secretary general.
  @xAdrianBonilla

Ana Mercedes Botero (Colombia) is director of social innovation at CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. She previously headed CAF’s community development program and served as director of the general secretariat and external affairs office.
  @AgendaCAF

Liz Bronder (US) directs the Latin America and the Caribbean Department at the International Finance Corporation. She was previously chief information officer of IFC Business Technologies and has worked for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in New York, London, and Hong Kong.
  @IFC_Org

Loreto Carvajal (Chile) has been a member of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies since 2015. She was previously councilor for the city of Cabrero and is a member of the Social Democracy Party.
  @LoretoDiputada

 Luis Miguel Castilla (Peru) served as Peru’s finance minister and ambassador to the US under Ollanta Humala. He is currently a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Atlantic Council. 

Michelangelo Cestari (Venezuela) is the CEO of Gustu, a fine dining restaurant in La Paz.
  @MCestariGustu  @GustuRestaurant

Cecilia Chacón (Bolivia) is is a municipal councilor of La Paz, Bolivia. She became the first woman minister of defense of Bolivia when she took office in 2011. Prior to this, she served as general director of multilateral relations and chief of cabinet for the Vice Ministry of Foreign Economic and Commercial Relations in the Foreign Ministry.

Daniela Chacón (Ecuador) is deputy mayor of Quito, where she focuses on health and social issues.
  @DanyChaconArias

Laura Chinchilla (Costa Rica) was president of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014. She was previously vice president and justice minister under Óscar Arias and served in the National Assembly from 2002 to 2006. Chinchilla has been a member of the Inter-American Dialogue since 2014 and sits on the Board of Directors.
  @Laura_Ch

Jéssica de la Peña (Colombia) is a reporter and journalist for RCN and Televista News.
  @Jessie_Dlp  @NotíciasRCN 

Augosto de la Torre (Ecuador) is chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. Since joining the Bank, de la Torre has pubished extensively on a broad range of macroeconomic and financial development topics and served in several positions, including senior advisor responsible for financial matters in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  @BancoMundialLAC

Sumito Estévez (Venezuela) is a chef, author, and entrepreneur. He appears frequently on TV and directs the Culinary Institute of Caracas.
  @SumitoEstevez

Gustavo Fernández (Bolivia) served as Bolivia’s foreign affairs minister on three occasions and as minister of the presidency from 1989 to 1993. He was previously ambassador to Brazil.

Guillermo Fernández de Soto (Colombia) is director for Europe at CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. He has previously served as Colombia’s  foreign affairs minister and ambassador to the Netherlands, secretary general of the Andean Community, president of the United Nations Security Council, and president of the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Juridical Committee.
  @AgendaCAF

Alejandro Foxley (Chile) is president of the Corporation for Latin American Studies (CIEPLAN). He served as foreign affairs minister of Chile from 2006 to 2009 and was finance minister from 1990 to 1994. Foxley served eight years in the National Senate.
  @CIEPLAN

Enrique García (Bolivia) has served as president and CEO of CAF – Development Bank of Latin America since 1991 and is co-vice chair of the Inter-American Dialogue’s Board of Directors. He was previously planning and coordination minister of Bolivia, head of the country’s economic and social cabinet, and treasurer of the Inter-American Development Bank.
  @AgendaCAF

Stephen Groff (US) has been vice president of the Asian Development Bank since 2011. He was previously deputy director for development cooperation at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and deputy vice president for operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
  @SPGroff  @ADB_HQ

Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica) is secretary general of the Ibero-American Secretariat (SEGIB). She was previously undersecretary general of the UN and associate administrator of UNDP. Grynspan served as vice president of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998.
  @RGrynspan  @SEGIBdigital

Vilma Hidalgo (Cuba) is deputy director of the University of Havana and a professor of economics.

Carla A. Hills (US) served as US trade representative under George H.W. Bush and as secretary of housing and urban development under Gerald Ford. She is currently chair and CEO of Hills & Company and co-chair of the Inter-American Dialogue’s Board of Directors.

María Ángela Holguín (Colombia) was appointed Colombia’s foreign affairs minister in 2010. She was previously Colombia’s permanent representative to the UN and ambassador to Venezuela.
  @CancilleriaCol

Enrique V. Iglesias (Uruguay) was secretary-general of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) from 2005 to 2014 and president of the Inter-American Development Bank from 1988 to 2005. He represented Uruguay as foreign affairs minister from 1985 to 1988 and served as executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) from 1972 to 1985.

Patricia Janiot (Colombia) is a senior anchor for CNN en Español and host of the Emmy award winning Panorama Mundial. She is also president of the Colombianitos Foundation, which helps children who are victims of the Colombian armed conflict.
  @PatriciaJaniot  @CNNEE

Nelson Jobim (Brazil) served as Brazil’s defense minister from 2007 to 2011 and as justice minister from 1995 to 1997. He was appointed to the country’s Supreme Court in 1997 and was elected chief justice in 2004. From 1987 to 1995, Jobim represented Rio Grande do Sul in the Chamber of Deputies.

K. V. Kamath (India) is president of the New Development Bank. He previously served as chairman of ICICI Bank and Infosys and was co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.

Harinder Kohli (India) is president and CEO of the Centennial Group and the Emerging Markets Forum. He previously spent 25 years at the World Bank in a series of senior positions and serves on the advisory board of the Asian Institute of Technology.
  @Harinder_Kohli  @Centennial_Intl  @EmrgMktsForum

Nikolay Kosov (Russia) is chairman of the International Investment Bank. He was previously first deputy chairman of Vnesheconombank, the Russian development bank and CEO of Automobile All-Russia Alliance, and has served as a diplomat and public official.
  @IIB_Press

Luis Vicente León (Venezuela) is president of Datanálisis, a survey database specializing in global markets. He is also a professor at Andrés Bello Catholic University and the Institute of Advanced Studies in Administration (IESA).
  @LuisVicenteLeon

Juan Carlos López (Colombia) is a chief correspondent for CNN en Español and host of of the network’s Directo USA and  Choque de Opiniones programs. He has led CNN en Español’s coverage of every US national election since 2012 and co-hosted the first primary debate among Democratic candidates for president in 2015.
  @JCLopezCNN  @CNNDUSA  @CNNChoque  @CNNEE

Brian MacNair (US) is executive director of World Central Kitchen. He previously led development efforts at DC Central Kitchen.
  @BmacWorld  @WCKitchen

Néstor Humberto Martínez (Colombia) is Colombia’s attorney general. He was appointed Colombia’s first minister of the presidency and previously served as  justice and interior minister, banking superintendent, and ambassador to France.
  @FiscaliaCol

Alexandre Meira da Rosa (Brazil) is vice president for countries at the Inter-American Development Bank. He was previously manager of the IDB’s Infrastructure and Environment Sector and vice minister of international affairs for Brazil’s Ministry of Planning, Budget, and Management.
  @the_IDB

Verónika Mendoza (Peru) has represented Cusco in Peru’s national legislature since 2011. She was the candidate of the Frente Amplio Party in the 2016 presidential election.
  @Vero_Mendoza_F

Roger Noriega (US) is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He served as US assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs and permanent representative to the Organization of American States under George W. Bush and was previously a senior staff member of US House of Representatives and Senate Foreign Relations Committees.
  @RogerNoriega  @AEI

Soledad Núñez (Paraguay) has been housing and habitat minister of Paraguay since 2014. She was previously coordinator of the National Program to Reduce Extreme Poverty in Urban Areas and the Open Government Action Plan.
  @SoleNu

José Antonio Ocampo (Colombia) is a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. He previously served as UN undersecretary general for economic and social affairs and executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). He has also been Colombia’s finance and agriculture minister, chairman of the Central Bank, and director of national planning.

Shannon O’Neil (US) is the Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin American studies and director of the Civil Society, Markets, and Democracy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations. As such, she has directed the Council’s Independent Task Force on North America and its Independent  Task Force on US-Latin America Relations.
  @ShannonKOneil  @CFR_org

Carlos Pagni (Argentina) is a columnist for La Nación, a reporter for TV Todo Noticias, and a professor of history at the National University of Mar del Plata and the University of Buenos Aires.
  @CarlosPagni  @LaNacion

Robert Palter (Canada) is a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, where he leads the global infrastructure practice. He also holds leadership positions in the private equity, electric power, and natural gas practices.
  @McKinsey

Rafael Pardo (Colombia) was appointed Colombia’s post-conflict minister in 2015. He was previously labor and defense minister and a member of the Colombian Senate. Pardo has been a member of the Inter-American Dialogue since 2007.
  @RafaelPardo

Félix Peña (Argentina) directs the Institute of International Trade at the ICBC Foundation and the International Trade Relations Program at the National University of Tres de Febrero. He has previously served as undersecretary of foreign trade in the Ministry of Economy, undersecretary of economic integration and undersecretary of economic international relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and manager for integration at the Inter-American Development Bank.
  @Fundacion_ICBC

Guillermo Perry (Colombia) is a professor at the University of the Andes, a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development, and an advisor to the president of CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. He was previously chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank and served as Colombia’s finance and energy minister.

Marta Lucía Ramírez (Colombia) served as Colombia’s defense and trade minister. She was also a member of the Colombian Senate and the Conservative Party’s presidential candidate in 2010. Ramírez has been a member of the Inter-American Dialogue since 2004 and sits on the Board of Directors.
  @MLuciaRamirez

Martín Redrado (Argentina) served as president of the Central Bank of Argentina from 2004 to 2010. He is currently the chairman of Fundación Capital, a non-partisan think-tank based in Buenos Aires.
  @MartinRedrado

Michael Reid (US) writes the Bello column on Latin America for The Economist and is the magazine’s writer-at-large for the region. He was previously Americas editor, South America bureau chief, and a Mexico and Central America correspondent.
  @MichaelReid52  @TheEconomist

Dan Restrepo (US) is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and managing director of Restrepo Strategies. He was special advisor to the president and director of Western Hemisphere affairs in the US National Security Council from 2008 to 2012.
  @Dan_Restrepo

Alejandro Santos (Colombia) is chairman of the Reconciliation Foundation of Colombia and director of Semana magazine. He was previously director of investigative journalism at El Tiempo.
  @RevistaSemana

Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. (US) is US undersecretary of state for political affairs. He is a career member of the US Foreign Service, having previously served as counselor to the Department of State, ambassador to Brazil, and assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.
  @StateDept

Michael Shifter (US) is president of the Inter-American Dialogue and an adjunct professor of Latin American politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He previously directed the Latin American and Caribbean Program at the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ford Foundation’s Governance and Human Rights Program in the Andean region and the Southern Cone.
  @MichaelShifter  @The_Dialogue

Matias Spektor (Brazil) is an associate professor of international relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation and director of the Center for International Relations. He is the author of 18 Dias, Kissinger e o Brasil, Azeredo da Silveira and The Origins of Nuclear Cooperation.
  @MatiasSpektor

Juan Triana (Cuba) is a graduate professor at the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy at the University of Havana.

Alberto Vergara (Peru) is a visiting professor at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po), Peru. He has worked in public and private Peruvian institutions on issues of human rights, democracy building, decentralization, and transparency.

Peter Vonk (Panama) is president of CAF Asset Management Corp., a subsidiary of CAF – Development Bank of Latin America dedicated to the management of third party financial resources. Prior to this position, Vonk served as an independent financial advisor and corporate vice president within CAF and as a director at Morgan Grenfell/Deutsche Bank, responsible for business in Venezuela, Central America, and the Caribbean.
  @AgendaCAF

Allan Wagner (Peru) served as Peru’s foreign affairs and defense minister. He has represented Peru as representative to the International Court of Justice and ambassador to Spain, Venezuela, and the US. Wagner was also secretary general of the Andean Community from 2004 to 2006.

Alejandro Werner (Mexico) is director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund. He previously served as undersecretary of finance and public credit of Mexico, head of corporate and investment banking at BBVA-Bancomer, and director of economic studies at the Bank of Mexico.
  @IMFNews

Argentina

Clarín: Otro fuerte apoyo de Estados Unidos a Macri

El Cronista: EEUU resaltó que en la Argentina “hay una etapa positiva”

Infobae: Colombia cooperará con EEUU para buscar y extinguir el patrimonio ilícito de las FARC

Infobae: Futuro incierto para el Acuerdo Transpacífico de Cooperación Económica

Infobae: Nuevo apoyo de Estados Unidos a Mauricio Macri

La Nación: Biden destacó la nueva “alianza” entre EEUU y la Argentina

La Nación: Washington elogia la “transformación” en la Argentina y promete su apoyo

La Voz: Cercado por las protestas, Temer logró aval de EEUU

Página 12: Cédulas de identidad para la vida civil

Segundo Enfoque: Biden: “Enorme transformación Argentina”

TN: El vicepresidente de EEUU elogió al gobierno de Cambiemos: “Van por el buen camino”

Vía Rosario: El Gobierno recibió otra muestra de apoyo por parte de EEUU

Bolivia

Correo del Sur: La CAF advierte sobre falta de integración

La Prensa: Opositores y chavistas vuelven a manifestarse

Colombia

Caracol: Alianza con EEUU para buscar patrimonio oculto de las Farc

Caracol: Lista la estrategia de la Fiscalía para perseguir los bienes de las Farc

El Heraldo: Gobierno niega que EEUU haya impedido ceremonia de firma de la paz en la ONU

El Tiempo: Es preferible una paz imperfecta que la guerra

El Tiempo: Fiscal anuncia alianza con EEUU para buscar bienes ocultos de Farc

El Tiempo: Posición fiscal de América Latina es débil, dicen FMI y BM

MDZ: Se niega que EEUU se opusiera a que las FARC fueran a la ONU

NTN24: Colombia “tiene que transformarse” de cara al acuerdo de paz: Canciller María Ángela Holguín durante la CAF

RCN: Fiscal Martínez anunció alianza con EE.UU. para perseguir bienes y dinero de las Farc

W Radio: Fiscal general anuncia alianza con EEUU para buscar patrimonio oculto de las Farc

Ecuador

El Telégrafo: Venezuela rechazó nuevo llamado de EE.UU. a favor de revocatorio contra Maduro

El Salvador

El Diario de Hoy: Multilaterales observan un sombrío panorama para el futuro de América Latina

El Mundo: Juicios por corrupción entre metas para fondos de EEUU

El Mundo: Biden les preguntó: “¿Se va a cambiar su sistema judicial?”

Honduras

La Prensa: Joe Biden reitera que EUA apoya referendo revocatorio

La Tribuna: Debilidad fiscal ensombrece el futuro de Latinoamérica

Mexico

Crónica: Maduro militariza Venezuela para silenciar reclamos del revocatorio

Informador: EU ‘continuará trabajando’ con gobierno de Temer en Brasil: Biden

Panama

La Estrella: Biden pide a EEUU siga comprometido con América Latina

La Prensa: Biden da un espaldarazo al gobierno de Temer en Brasil

Martí: Cuba, Venezuela y los Derechos Humanos en la agenda de EEUU

Panamá América: ‘Débil’ posición fiscal en Latinoamérica

Peru

El Comercio: Veronika Mendoza: Espacio ganado por Frente Amplio refleja necesidad de cambio

Spain

EFE: Biden tiende la mano a Temer y reclama que Venezuela no “ignore” a su pueblo

EFE: Debilidad fiscal y baja integración ensombrecen el futuro de Latinoamérica

EFE: El FMI y el BM subrayan la “débil” posición fiscal de Latinoamérica

El País: Biden da un espaldarazo al gobierno de Temer en Brasil

El País: “Colombia también se tiene que transformar para la paz”

Terra: Biden promete trabajar con Temer tras transición “constitucional” en Brasil

Terra: Proponen integración, reformas y diálogo como retos de América Latina

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad Guardian: Region at a crossroads, says ECLAC official

United States

El Nuevo Herald: Biden: Represión en Venezuela viola estándares regionales

El Nuevo Herald: Venezuela rechaza ‘insolencia’ de Biden por respaldar revocatorio a Maduro

Latin America Herald Tribune: From the Brady Bond to the Biden Formula – Something is about to Happen in the Americas

Latin America Herald Tribune: As Wives of Venezuela Political Prisoners Are Assaulted by Military, US Pushes for Recall

Washington Examiner: Biden: U.S. can talk human rights in Cuba ‘without pushback’

Uruguay

El Observador: Maduro y Temer, dos presidentes abucheados por su propia gente

El País: Oposición aumenta presión al chavismo por referéndum

República: Protestas marcan fiesta de la Independencia en Brasil

Venezuela

El Nacional: Gobierno venezolano rechazó declaraciones de Joe Biden

El Universal: Vicepresidente Biden garantiza cooperación de EEUU con Gobierno de Temer

El Universal: Vicepresidente de EEUU pidió a Venezuela “no ignorar” las voces del pueblo

Etorno Inteligente: Biden llama a que EEUU siga comprometido con América Latina 

Globovision: Colombia niega que EEUU haya impedido ceremonia de firma de la paz

Globovision: Delcy Rodríguez rechazó declaraciones de Biden sobre Venezuela

La Patilla: Vicepresidente de EEUU pide respeto a la Constitución de Venezuela y la realización del Referendo en el 2016

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