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Business segment information (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	$ 212,730us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther	[1]	$ 205,303us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther	[1]	$ 192,437us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther	[1]
Interest expense	(71,599)us-gaap_InterestExpense	[1]	(82,211)us-gaap_InterestExpense	[1]	(87,460)us-gaap_InterestExpense	[1]
Net interest income	141,131us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	[1]	123,092us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	[1]	104,977us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	[1]
Long-lived assets:
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net	8,129us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet		10,466us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet		12,808us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Panama [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	195,575us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		184,501us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		173,663us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA
Interest expense	(70,539)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		(79,132)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		(86,019)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA
Net interest income	125,036us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		105,369us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		87,644us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA
Long-lived assets:
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net	7,994us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		10,237us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA		12,397us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_PA
Brazil [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	0us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		33us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		155us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR
Interest expense	0us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		0us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		0us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR
Net interest income	0us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		33us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		155us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR
Long-lived assets:
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net	0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR		8us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_BR
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	17,135us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		18,501us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		17,894us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US
Interest expense	(1,023)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		(1,235)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		(1,332)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US
Net interest income	16,112us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		17,266us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		16,562us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US
Long-lived assets:
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net	135us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		229us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US		403us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = country_US
Cayman Islands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest income	20us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		2,268us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		725us-gaap_InterestIncomeOther / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY
Interest expense	(37)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		(1,844)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		(109)us-gaap_InterestExpense / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY
Net interest income	(17)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		424us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		616us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY
Long-lived assets:
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net	$ 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		$ 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY		$ 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / blx_AllCountriesAxis = stpr_KY
[1] The numbers set out in these tables have been rounded and accordingly may not total exactly.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

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Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

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