Israeli President Isaac Herzog will travel this week to Panama and Costa Rica in a four-day official visit that includes a historic first stop in Panama and a high-level appearance at Costa Rica’s presidential inauguration in San José.
Herzog is scheduled to depart on Wednesday, May 6, before traveling first to Panama, where he will meet with President José Raúl Mulino and senior government officials. The stop will mark the first visit to Panama by an Israeli president, adding diplomatic weight to the trip at a time when Panama holds a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
After Panama, Herzog will continue to Costa Rica to attend the May 8 inauguration of President-elect Laura Fernández Delgado. Outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves Robles invited Herzog to the ceremony, which will take place in San José as Costa Rica completes its transfer of power for the 2026-2030 term.
The inauguration is expected to bring a large international presence to Costa Rica. Delegations from 71 countries and 18 international organizations are expected to attend, with representatives from countries including the United States, Spain and Israel. The ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the National Stadium, with public access, special transportation measures and a security deployment of about 800 police officers.
Herzog is also expected to participate in a state dinner hosted by Chaves for visiting heads of state and meet with other international leaders attending the ceremony. His agenda in Costa Rica also includes a meeting with members of the country’s Jewish community.
Fernández won Costa Rica’s February 1 election in the first round, extending the political project of the outgoing Chaves administration. Her party, the Sovereign People’s Party, is also projected to hold a majority in the Legislative Assembly, giving the incoming government an unusually strong position as it begins its term.
The visit comes as Israel seeks to strengthen ties in Latin America, with Panama and Costa Rica both viewed as close regional partners. Herzog and Mulino previously met in January on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where both sides agreed to keep advancing bilateral relations.
Costa Rica and Israel have maintained formal ties for decades. Israel’s embassy in San José lists key points in the relationship dating back to 1963, including Costa Rica’s decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem, Israel’s decision to open an embassy in San José in 1966, and a mutual visa exemption agreement in 1968.
For Costa Rica, Herzog’s attendance adds another layer of international attention to an already closely watched inauguration. The transfer of power will mark the start of Fernández’s four-year term and the end of Chaves’ presidency, while also placing San José at the center of a broader diplomatic push by Israel in Central America
