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providing equipment and medication. We are very proud of the results of the IFSO-LAC chapter and
continue to undertake research and provide expert surgical care to patients because the problem of
obesity and associated metabolic disorders is global, and we want to offer a global solution.

Presidents of IFSO-LAC

Presidents of IFSO-LAC are elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term with no re-election,
while Executive Directors are elected for two years and may be reelected once, helping to ensure
continuity on the Board.
Since the inception 12 Presidents have been elected.
2005-2007 Rafael Alvarez Cordero (Interim)
2007. 2009 Rafael Alvarez Cordero. - Mexico
2009-2011 Luis Ibanez – Chile
2011-2013 Carlos Casalnuovo – Argentina
2013-2015 Natan Zundel – Colombia
2015-2017 Jose Antonio Lopez Corvala - Mexico
2017-2019 Ricardo Cohen- Brazil
2019-2022 Estuardo Behrens- Guatemala (a prolonged term due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2022-2024 Luis Poggi- Peru
2024-2026 Sergio Aparicio- Bolivia
2026-2028 Caetano Marchesini- Brazil

IFSO-LAC Meetings

The IFSO-LAC Chapter organizes a meeting every two years, hosted by one of its member national
societies. Unlike in some other chapters, the president of IFSO-LAC has not always also served as
president of the LAC meeting; at times a different colleague has led the congress.

2005 Foz de Iguazu, Brazil – Arthur Garrido
2007 Cancún, México – Rafael Álvarez Cordero
2009 Viña del Mar, Chile – Luis Ibáñez
2011 Cartagena de Indias, Colombia – Rami Mikler / Natan Zundel
2013 Cuzco, Peru – Ramiro Carbajal
2015 Los Cabos, México – Natan Zundel / José Antonio López Corvalá
2017 Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia – Sergio Aparicio / Ricardo Cohen
2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina – Mario Antozzi / Estuardo Behrens
2024 Lima, Peru – Dick Manrique
2026 Cartagena de Indias, Colombia – Luis Ernesto López

Since the creation of IFSO-LAC, three achievements stand out. Five members of the Chapter have
also served as IFSO Global Presidents: Arthur Garrido, Rafael Álvarez Cordero, Natan Zundel, Almino
Ramos, and Ricardo Cohen. Today, IFSO-LAC is the second-largest chapter in global IFSO, after
IFSO-NAC. Under the direction of Natan Zundel, with the support of then-IFSO-LAC President
Estuardo Behrens, IFSO-LAC developed a one-year MBS Fellowship program for Latin American
countries in 2021, encompassing participating universities, national societies, IFSO-LAC, and
regional professorial certification. The program began in Tijuana, México, and four years later has
graduated more than 120 Fellows from 14 different LAC countries, expanding to five programs in
México and additional programs in Chile and El Salvador. Current IFSO global President Khaled
Gawdat is now drawing on this experience to help establish a similar fellowship program in
IFSO-MENAC.

IFSO-LAC looks forward to continuing its work within the Chapter and in close partnership with
global IFSO, always on behalf of its patients.

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