PANAMA CITY – The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, and the Panamanian, Yazmín Colón de Cortizo, spoke this Friday in Panama about social and educational programs, as well as the strengthening of ties between the two countries.

The first lady of Panama explained that she had a productive meeting with Biden, in which they discussed different projects, and affirmed that she is honored to know that both share topics of interest for the benefit of children.

Biden arrived in Panama after concluding his visit to Ecuador with a message in which he reiterated President Joe Biden‘s commitment to Latin America.

Although her agenda is focused on visiting education and health projects and initiatives, Jill Biden undertook this six-day tour a few weeks before the United States organizes the ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, with “an ambitious agenda,” according to highlighted in a public appearance.

At the meeting, held at the Palacio de las Garzas (Panamanian Presidential House), issues focused on education and the strengthening of bilateral relations were also addressed.

Colón de Cortizo, who shared with Biden the preparations for the World Robotics Olympics, to be held in November 2023 in Panama, mentioned the work of his office in the fight against cancer and its participation in the organization and promotion of the days of vaccination against COVID-19, as well as in social assistance tasks.

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“We are excited to invite the leaders and their wives to the Summit of the Americas,” Biden said Thursday in a speech at the Palacio de Carondelet, the seat of the Ecuadorian government, where he was accompanied by Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, and his wife, María de Lourdes Alcívar.

Without entering into the controversy of whether or not the United States will invite Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to the Summit, the US first lady encouraged the participants in this meeting to “work together to achieve an equitable and sustainable future, build resilience against pandemic and strengthen democratic governance”.

Precisely, the wife of Joe Biden, immersed in her third official trip after having traveled to Japan in the Olympic Games and recently to Ukraine, emphasized democracy and its strengthening to reach the most vulnerable and forgotten sectors of society and provide them with equal opportunities.

In this aspect, he highlighted the efforts of the government of Ecuador, to the point of calling it “a light” for its neighbors in Latin America, after having made a visit to a children’s center promoted by the Government as part of its fight against chronic child malnutrition. , which affects 30% of children under 2 years of age.

“It’s time to stop believing that other people’s problems are going to solve themselves,” said Biden, who advocated strengthening international cooperation to deal with global threats and mentioned the investment of the United States in closing the gaps in Latin America. in education, health, environment, and security.

“If a nation is made vulnerable by authoritarianism, a health crisis, or poverty, it will not be alone before the same problems reach us all,” he warned.

Jill Biden recalled how Russia’s war in Ukraine affects the stock markets and markets on this side of the world and took the opportunity to narrate some scenes she saw during her recent visit to Ukraine for Mother’s Day, where she reminded some mothers who they carried their children without ceasing tears to flow from their eyes.

The American first lady shared a large part of her day on Thursday in Quito with her Ecuadorian counterpart, with whom she had breakfast at the Carondelet Palace before visiting together one of the child development centers where the government is responsible for providing four food rations healthy a day to 56 children.

For her part, the first lady of Ecuador highlighted the work of Jill Biden to promote equal opportunities among vulnerable populations and the coincidence of both in that “children, women, migrants and other populations in vulnerable conditions can fulfill their dreams.”.

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“I admire your commitment to making the right to education a reality,” Alcívar said.

For his part, Lasso considered that the visit of the first lady of the United States “is one more proof of the very close relations” between the two countries, and recalled that on Tuesday he spoke by phone with Joe Biden about the Summit of the Americas.

“We are excited to be able to attend this summit,” Lasso said, describing it as “the ideal space to discuss fundamental issues for our countries such as democracy, migration, hemispheric security, development, and cooperation.”

Jill Biden’s visit to Ecuador concluded with a tour of the Oswaldo Guayasamín School, which offers an accelerated education program promoted by the United States Department of State for 63 adolescents from Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela who had dropped out of school.