January’s Panorama with Gabriel Barletta

2026

Gabriel Barletta

CEO of Panorama de las Américas

Dear friends:

January arrives with that unique light only the tropics possess: a summer that invites us to go out, to walk, to discover. But it also brings with it the need to look inward and re-examine who we are and why this isthmus—small in territory, giant in history—has been able to redefine its place on the planet time and time again.

In this edition of Panorama of the Americas, we review one of our country’s great architectural landmarks: the Biomuseo, Frank Gehry’s only work in Latin America, which transformed the urban landscape, became a symbol of the country, and redefined how Panamanians see themselves. On the occasion of the renowned architect’s passing, the Biomuseo’s executive director, Víctor Cucalón, reveals how this vision was born and what it meant for Panama to work with a figure who revolutionized modern architecture. Gehry didn’t impose an aesthetic; he interpreted an identity. The building reimagines traditional Panamanian architecture, raised on stilts to overcome humidity, with large openings to capture the breeze and generous roofs that protect from the sun and rain.

True to our adventurous spirit, we propose an unforgettable expedition along the Camino Real, a route opened during the Spanish conquest that crosses jungles and swamps. It’s not just a four-day hike: it’s a journey to one of the most unknown—and extraordinary—sections of the isthmus’s history, a route through which wealth traveled between oceans before the Canal. Together with the Camino de Cruces, it forms part of the colonial system recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

If you’re in Panama in January, I’d love to invite you to the 23rd Panama Jazz Festival, taking place in the city from January 15th to 17th. This year, the festival will pay tribute to Gladstone “Bat” Gordon and will feature some of the biggest names in jazz, both nationally and internationally. A must-see event of the Panamanian summer.

And since we’re Panorama of the Americas, our international tour is a must. This time we arrived in Orlando, a city that’s so much more than theme parks and fantasy. There, we went “off the beaten path,” as is our tradition, and found innovative experiences, outstanding cuisine, and abundant nature.

This new edition is an invitation to rediscover Panama through the Biomuseo and the history told in stone amidst the jungle. It’s also an invitation to continue exploring our continent with that explorer’s eye, filled with wonder at the discoveries we make.