Reflections on the XV Central American and Caribbean Convention of Arbitration Centers
Hotel Intercontinental, Tegucigalpa — October 28–29, 2025
By Carlos R. Urrutia
The XV Central American and Caribbean Convention of Arbitration Centers, organized by the Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (CCA) of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa, gathered last week the leading figures in regional arbitration. The event reaffirmed the essential role of arbitration mechanisms in strengthening legal certainty, attracting investment, and enhancing the region’s economic competitiveness.
Over two days of dynamic discussions and presentations, arbitrators, lawyers, academics, directors of arbitration centers, and representatives from the private sector exchanged perspectives on contemporary challenges in dispute resolution and the evolving direction of arbitration in Latin America amid technological, economic, and social transformations.
As a firm committed to strengthening institutional arbitration and modernizing legal practice, Lexincorp Honduras actively participated in the sessions, contributing to the collective reflection with a technical, modern, and regionally integrated perspective.
- Arbitration and the Transformation of Economic Markets
One of the convention’s highlights was the panel “Arbitration in the Transformation of Economic Markets,” moderated by Dr. Benito Zelaya, Managing Partner of Lexincorp Honduras. He was joined by renowned specialists including Dr. Carolina Silva (Colombia), Dr. Carlos Fernández (Costa Rica), Estefanía San Juan (Venezuela/Colombia), and Catalina Echeverri (Colombia/France).
The dialogue explored how current economic dynamics—marked by business digitalization, regionalized value chains, and cross-border capital mobility—are reshaping how disputes are conceived and resolved. The panelists agreed that traditional mechanisms must adapt to more agile, technical, and globalized contexts, where trust, efficiency, and legal predictability become decisive factors for economic growth.
The discussion struck a balanced tone between theory and practice, emphasizing that arbitration not only fulfills a dispute-resolution role but also a structural one, consolidating itself as a pillar of trust and stability for investment. In markets that demand certainty, arbitration operates as a true instrument of economic governance, ensuring legal security in an environment of constant change.
- Emotional Intelligence in the Role of the Arbitrator
Another particularly engaging panel was “Emotional Intelligence in the Role of the Young Arbitrator,” featuring Blanca Mejía (Honduras), Oswaldo Palau (Honduras), Luis Felipe Riveros (Colombia), Jeimy Lasso (Panama), and Antonio Alberto Vargas Aguilar (Costa Rica), moderated by Daniela Villafranca Lamas (Honduras).
The panel highlighted an increasingly discussed idea in modern arbitral practice: the excellence of an arbitrator depends not only on technical expertise but also on emotional and ethical maturity. Emotional management, empathy toward the parties, and active listening skills are now essential competencies for those entrusted with resolving complex disputes.
In this context, the participation of Honduran Young Arbitrators (HYA) members, both as institutional supporters and panelists, demonstrated the leadership of the new generation of Honduran professionals. It revealed how young arbitrators are embracing a more holistic understanding of their role—one that combines legal knowledge with soft skills, innovation, and openness to dialogue.
Honduran Young Arbitrators continues to consolidate itself as an institutional platform for training, exchange, and regional projection, committed to building a stronger, more inclusive, and globally connected young arbitral community in Honduras.
III. Harmonization and Regulatory Modernization: The New CIAC Rules
The agenda also featured analysis of the New Rules of the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission (CIAC), aimed at achieving more efficient and coherent proceedings aligned with internationally recognized standards. This effort reflects a regional trend toward strengthening arbitral institutions, increasing business confidence, and facilitating cross-border dispute resolution.
Within this framework, a practical session was held to examine challenges arising when state entities participate in arbitral proceedings—addressing issues of transparency, the structuring of arbitration agreements, and balancing public interest with party autonomy. The exchange highlighted shared progress and challenges across the region, consistent with international best practices.
- Conclusion
The XV Central American and Caribbean Convention of Arbitration Centers delivered a clear message: arbitration in the region is undergoing a stage of consolidation and maturity, shaped by three transformative forces—technical expertise, generational renewal, and institutional modernization.
The gathering in Tegucigalpa reaffirmed the commitment of centers, law firms, and new generations to the continuous professionalization of arbitration and the construction of a more robust, ethical, and internationally connected arbitral culture.
At Lexincorp Honduras, we reaffirm our commitment to continue promoting the development of regional arbitration—actively engaging in forums that foster legal excellence and contributing to the consolidation of a dispute resolution system that blends technical precision, trust, and humanity.
Carlos R. Urrutia
Associate – Lexincorp Honduras
