Panama's May 2, 2026. The historic Portobelo Park became a gala stage to receive the seventh edition of the pollera congo Festival, an event that highlighted the strength, leadership and resistance of Panamanian Afro-colonial culture through music, dance and pride of its traditions.

The activity began with an opportunity to feel an identity, bringing together communities, artists and bearers of tradition. One of the most moved moments of the event was the development of the portrait of Reina congo "Catalina," captured by the lens of photographer Sandra Eleta, president of the Portobelo Foundation.

The event paid tribute to the memory of a figure that embodies the heritage of the black peoples of Panama.

The festival captivated attendees with their spectacular water parade, where the drum's rhythm resound over the waters of the Caribbean, followed by a stop through the streets of Portobelo.

At every step, the contagious dance and the rolling movement of the necks have shown that the essence of the region remains valid and with more force every day.

Besides artistic expressions, the festival offered a unique display for local cuisine and the sale of crafts, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in a complete cultural experience.

That seventh meeting not only celebrated the roots of our people but placed Portobelo as the epicentre of the safeguard and transmission of the congo legacy, raising the value of national inheritance at every drum repeat.

The Minister of Culture, María Eugenia Herrera, Deputy Minister Arianne Benedetti and Secretary General Ivis Moreno with the Mayor of Portobelo, Carlos Chavarría have been actively involved with all the cultural activities of this great event