Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]

1. Organization

Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S. A. (“Bladex Head Office” and together with its subsidiaries “Bladex” or the “Bank”), headquartered in Panama City, Republic of Panama, is a specialized supranational bank established to finance trade in Latin America and the Caribbean (the “Region”). The Bank was established pursuant to a May 1975 proposal presented to the Assembly of Governors of Central Banks in the Region, which recommended the creation of a multinational organization to increase the foreign trade financing capacity of the Region. The Bank was organized in 1977, incorporated in 1978 as a corporation pursuant to the laws of the Republic of Panama, and officially initiated operations on January 2, 1979. Under a contract signed in 1978 between the Republic of Panama and Bladex, the Bank was granted certain privileges by the Republic of Panama, including an exemption from payment of income taxes in Panama.

The Bank operates under a general banking license issued by the National Banking Commission of Panama, predecessor of the Superintendency of Banks of Panama (the “SBP”).

In the Republic of Panama, banks are regulated by the SBP through Executive Decree No. 52 of April 30, 2008, which adopts the text of the Law Decree No. 9 of February 26, 1998, modified by the Law Decree No. 2 of February 22, 2008. Banks are also regulated by resolutions and agreements issued by this entity. The main aspects of this law and its regulations include: the authorization of banking licenses, minimum capital and liquidity requirements, consolidated supervision, procedures for management of credit and market risks, measures to prevent money laundering, the financing of terrorism and related illicit activities, and procedures for banking intervention and liquidation, among others.

Bladex Head Office’s subsidiaries are the following:

- Bladex Holdings Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary, incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America (USA), on May 30, 2000. Bladex Holdings Inc. exercises control over Bladex Asset Management Inc., incorporated on May 24, 2006, under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA, which serves as investment manager for Bladex Offshore Feeder Fund (the “Feeder”) and Bladex Capital Growth Fund (the “Fund”). In February 2012, Bladex Asset Management Inc., was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment adviser. On September 8, 2009, Bladex Asset Management Inc. was registered as a foreign entity in the Republic of Panama, to establish a branch in Panama, which is mainly engaged in providing administrative and operating services to Bladex Asset Management Inc. in USA.

- The Feeder is an entity in which Bladex Head office owns 98.06% and 95.84% as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Feeder was incorporated on February 21, 2006 under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and invests substantially all its assets in the Fund, which is also incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Feeder and the Fund are registered with the Cayman Island Monetary Authority (“CIMA”), under the Mutual Funds Law of the Cayman Islands. The objective of the Fund is to achieve capital appreciation by investing in Latin American debt securities, stock indexes, currencies, and trading derivative instruments.

- Bladex Representacao Ltda., incorporated under the laws of Brazil on January 7, 2000, acts as the Bank’s representative office in Brazil. Bladex Representacao Ltda. is 99.999% owned by Bladex Head Office and the remaining 0.001% owned by Bladex Holdings Inc.

- Bladex Investimentos Ltda. was incorporated under the laws of Brazil on May 3, 2011. Bladex Head Office owns 99% of Bladex Investimentos Ltda. and Bladex Holdings Inc. owns the remaining 1%. This company has invested substantially all its assets in Bladex Latam Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, which was also incorporated under the laws of Brazil on July 26, 2011.

The objective of Bladex Latam Fundo de Investimento Multimercado (the “Brazilian Fund”) is to achieve capital gains by dealing in the interest, currency, securities, commodities and debt markets, and by trading instruments available in the spot and derivative markets. Bladex Latam Fundo de Investimento Multimercado is registered with the Brazilian Securities Commission (“CVM”). This fund is a variable interest entity (“VIE”), and has been consolidated in these consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, Bladex Investimentos Ltda. holds 82.90% and 91.99%, respectively, of the Brazilian Fund’s net asset value.

- BLX Brazil Ltd., was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on October 5, 2010. Bladex Head Office owns 99.80% of BLX Brazil Ltd. In turn, BLX Brazil Ltd. owns 99.9999% of Bladex Asset Management Brazil – Gestora de Recursos Ltda. and Bladex Asset Management Inc. owns the remaining 0.0001%. Bladex Asset Management Brazil – Gestora de Recursos Ltda. was incorporated under the laws of Brazil on January 6, 2011, and provides investment advisory services to Bladex Latam Fundo de Investimento Multimercado.

Bladex Head Office has an agency in New York City, USA (the “New York Agency”), which began operations on March 27, 1989. The New York Agency is principally engaged in financing transactions related to international trade, mostly the confirmation and financing of letters of credit for customers of the Region. The New York Agency is also licensed by the State of New York Banking Department, USA, to operate an International Banking Facility (“IBF”).

The Bank has representative offices in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in Mexico City, D.F. and Monterrey, Mexico, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in Lima, Peru, in Bogota, Colombia, and an international administrative office in Miami, Florida, USA.

Bladex Head Office owns 50% of the equity shares of BCG PA LLC, a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA. This company owns “Class C” shares of the Fund that entitle it to receive a performance allocation on third-party investments in the Feeder and in the Fund.

Clavex LLC, a former subsidiary of Bladex Holdings, was dissolved on April 7, 2011, and its net assets were transferred to its controlling entity. Clavex S. A., a former subsidiary of Bladex Head Office, was dissolved on August 30, 2011, and its net assets were transferred to its Head Office.