Latin America and the Caribbean stands at a strategic crossroads to consolidate its role in the new global energy landscape, shaped by geopolitical tensions, technological advances, and rising demand for energy security and decarbonization.
During his remarks at the 47th International Conference of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) held in Santiago, Rebolledo moderated a plenary session titled “Energy Economics and Geopolitics: Latin America and the Caribbean in a Changing World,” co-organized with OLACDE. The event brought together regional energy leaders to discuss the main challenges and opportunities they face amid the transformations of the international market.
The Executive Secretary noted that geopolitics is increasingly shaping energy decisions at a time when the sector is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. In this regard, he stressed that energy has become crucial for economic development, as well as for improving competitiveness and achieving climate goals.
Rebolledo also pointed out that the shift toward sustainable energy sources goes far beyond electricity generation; it includes areas such as transportation, industry, and households. This transformation is changing both production and consumption patterns while rapidly driving the adoption of new technologies.
In this context, he highlighted the competitive advantages Latin America and the Caribbean holds thanks to its high share of renewable energy and its abundance of strategic energy resources. These conditions can further strengthen the continent’s role in the global energy transition process.
Rebolledo also emphasized the importance of fostering regional energy integration. OLACDE brings together 27 countries with the goal of promoting cooperation, generating useful technical information, and supporting public policy decisions, with this integration as its central focus.
The panel included prominent officials such as Ricardo Bienvenido Guerrero Encarnación, Vice Minister of Energy of the Dominican Republic; Mauricio Bejarano, Vice Minister of Mines and Energy and Director of Alternative Energies in Paraguay; and Diana Lizzette Solís Paz, Undersecretary of Renewable Energy and Electricity of Honduras.
During the event, OLACDE set up an information booth where attendees could learn more about the organization’s work and its role within the regional context, further strengthening cooperation, integration, and training among its 27 member countries.
