The Ibero-American Congress for Life and Family opened on June 18 in Montevideo with a call for unity, strategic cooperation, and the defense of Christian values in politics. The opening ceremony was led by Lic. Aarón Lara, founder and president of the Congress, who declared, “Our leadership does not belong to a party or a color; it is in heaven, in the eternal truths we represent.”
The event brings together parliamentarians, social leaders, civil organizations, and religious representatives from across Ibero-America, beginning with the participation of delegates from Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
A call for Ibero-American cooperation
In his speech, Lara emphasized the need to build a structured system of cooperation among Christian lawmakers. He announced the launch of three key tools that will shape the Congress’s direction in the coming years: a legislative initiative bank, a network of interparliamentary cooperation agreements, and a monthly calendar of continental dialogues through virtual forums.
“We’re going to design an entire working plan and negotiate it with various parliamentary groups. Some are already in progress; they just need to be strengthened,” he said. He also announced that the first continental forum—scheduled for the last Monday of July—will address organized crime and violence in Latin America. The second forum, set for September, will focus on artificial intelligence and its social, political, and ethical impact.
“We need to help each other raise awareness at the continental level,” Lara stressed, noting that these initiatives will be published in a new digital magazine titled Cuadernos Iberoamericanos.
National contributions and regional vision
Following the opening remarks, political leaders from several countries shared their visions and experiences. Representing Panama, Deputy Jairo Salazar was the first to speak, followed by Deputies César Amézquita (Guatemala), Marco Bertilio Paz (Honduras), Ydenia Doñe (Dominican Republic), and Tabita Ortiz (Mexico), among others.
Later in the morning, the panel “Organization of the Ibero-American Forum of Christian Politicians” was led by Uruguayan Gerardo Amarilla and featured notable contributions from former Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and activist Pablo Hulet. Peruvian Congresswoman Milagros Aguayo concluded the morning session with a speech focused on defending family and values in national politics.
Afterward, Lara chaired the panel “Toward a System of Cooperation for the Ibero-American Union of Christian Parliamentarians,” outlining the working tools that will be implemented starting with this event.
The morning program concluded with the official appointment ceremony of Uruguayan Deputy Álvaro Dastugue as president of the Ibero-American Union of Christian Parliamentarians for the 2025–2027 term, succeeding Costa Rican politician Fabricio Alvarado.
