New Panama Canal Chief Takes Office With Water, Expansion Projects in Focus

Ilya Espino de Marotta took office Monday as Administrator of the Panama Canal, becoming the first woman to lead the waterway as it confronts renewed water concerns and moves ahead with a multibillion-dollar expansion of its logistics and energy businesses.

Espino de Marotta, who has spent more than four decades at the Canal, will serve a seven-year term through 2033, succeeding Ricaurte Vásquez Morales.

“Forty-one years ago, I came here to learn. Today, it is my turn to lead, but my conviction remains exactly the same; to serve Panama with honesty, discipline, and profound respect for this institution,” Espino de Marotta