Bladex Announces Quarterly Dividend Payment of US$0.15 Per Share; US$16.7 Million...

Bladex Announces Quarterly Dividend Payment of US$0.15 Per Share; US$16.7
Million in Net Income for First Quarter 2009

PANAMA CITY, April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Banco Latinoamericano de
Exportaciones, S.A. (Bladex) (NYSE: BLX), announced today a quarterly cash
dividend of US$0.15 per share, corresponding to the first quarter of 2009,
during which the Bank generated US$16.7 million in Net Income. (Bladex's full
First Quarter 2009 earnings release will be distributed on Wednesday, April
22, 2009, prior to the market open).
Mr. Jaime Rivera, Bladex's Chief Executive Officer, stated the following:
"Bladex is successfully operating in the midst of an international
financial crisis with unclear long-term implications. In response, the Bank
has progressively increased liquidity, decreased concentrations, reduced
leverage, decreased expenses, and strengthened reserve coverage. In view of
market volatility and accompanying uncertainty that show few signs of abating,
however, the Board of Directors considers the new dividend amount to be
consistent with the Bank's proven, prudent approach to capital management, and
with the long-term interests of shareholders."
The cash dividend is payable on May 7, 2009, to the Bank's stockholders as
of the April 27, 2009 record date. As of March 31, 2009, Bladex had
36,422,089.79 common shares outstanding.
Bladex will host its First Quarter 2009 Earnings Conference Call on
Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time. Presenting for Bladex
will be Mr. Jaime Rivera, Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Jaime Celorio,
Chief Financial Officer.
To participate, please dial:

(800) 311-9401 (U.S. Participants)
(334) 323-7224 (From outside the U.S.)
Conference ID: 8034

There will also be a live Webcast of the event at www.bladex.com.

For questions, please contact:
Bladex, Head Office, Calle 50 y Aquilino de la Guardia, Panama, Republic
of Panama
Attention: Mr. Jaime Celorio, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial
Officer
Tel.: (507) 210-8630, E-mail: jcelorio@bladex.com
-or-
i-advize Corporate Communications, Inc., 82 Wall Street, Suite 805,
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ms. Melanie Carpenter or Mr. Peter Majeski
Tel.: (212) 406-3690, E-mail: bladex@i-advize.com
Bladex is a supranational bank originally established by the Central Banks
of Latin America and Caribbean countries to promote trade finance in the
Region. Based in Panama, its shareholders include central and state-owned
entities in 23 countries of the Region, as well as Latin American and
international commercial banks, and institutional and retail investors.
For further information, please access our website at www.bladex.com
SOURCE Banco Latinoamericano de Exportaciones, S.A.

Jaime Celorio, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Banco
Latinoamericano de Exportaciones, +011-507-210-8630, jcelorio@bladex.com; or
Melanie Carpenter or Peter Majeski, both of i-advize Corporate Communications,
+1-212-406-3690, bladex@i-advize.com, for Bladex