What happened at the Panama Congress of 1826?

The Panama Congress of 1826 was a general American congress convened under the auspices of Simón Bolívar to realize his long-held vision of a league of Hispanic American states.12

While Bolívar had advocated for a broad alliance of republics, the congress proved to be a fragmentary affair, with representatives attending only from Colombia, Peru, Central America, and Mexico. The participating nations signed a treaty of alliance that included the following provisions:1

• Collective Defense: The planning of a common army and navy.1
• Conflict Resolution: An agreement that all controversies among the states would be solved by arbitration.1
• Future Cooperation: The projection of a biannual assembly to represent the federated states and an invitation for other American countries to join the alliance.1

Although only Colombia ultimately ratified the treaty, the congress served as a significant historical precedent for future hemispheric solidarity and understanding in South America.1