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Allowance for credit losses (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Allowance For Loan Losses
Generic allowance	$ 77,260blx_GenericAllowance		$ 71,797blx_GenericAllowance		$ 72,976blx_GenericAllowance
Specific allowance	2,415blx_SpecificAllowance		954blx_SpecificAllowance		0blx_SpecificAllowance
Total of allowance for loan losses	79,675us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance		72,751us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance		72,976us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance	88,547us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Loans
Loans with generic allowance	6,682,210blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance		6,145,173blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance
Loans with specific allowance	4,034blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance		3,125blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance
Total loans	6,686,244us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount	[1]	6,148,298us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount	[1]
Corporate [Member]
Allowance For Loan Losses
Generic allowance	40,482blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		30,562blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		32,488blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Specific allowance	2,284blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		954blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Total of allowance for loan losses	42,766us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		31,516us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		32,488us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember	48,865us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Loans
Loans with generic allowance	3,828,835blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		3,310,931blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Loans with specific allowance	3,125blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		3,125blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Total loans	3,831,960us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember		3,314,056us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateMember
Banking and Financial Institutions [Member]
Allowance For Loan Losses
Generic allowance	31,512blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		30,865blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		28,836blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Specific allowance	0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Total of allowance for loan losses	31,512us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		30,865us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		28,836us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember	30,523us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Loans
Loans with generic allowance	2,370,936blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		2,259,991blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Loans with specific allowance	0blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		0blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Total loans	2,370,936us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember		2,259,991us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_BankingandFinancialInstitutionsMember
Middle Market Companies [Member]
Allowance For Loan Losses
Generic allowance	5,266blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		10,369blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		10,887blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Specific allowance	131blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Total of allowance for loan losses	5,397us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		10,369us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		10,887us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember	8,952us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Loans
Loans with generic allowance	482,439blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		574,107blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Loans with specific allowance	909blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		0blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Total loans	483,348us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember		574,107us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_MiddleMarketCompaniesMember
Sovereign [Member]
Allowance For Loan Losses
Generic allowance	0blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		1blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		765blx_GenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
Specific allowance	0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		0blx_SpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
Total of allowance for loan losses	0us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		1us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		765us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember	207us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
Loans
Loans with generic allowance	0blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		144blx_LoansWithGenericAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
Loans with specific allowance	0blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		0blx_LoansWithSpecificAllowance / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
Total loans	$ 0us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember		$ 144us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = blx_SovereignMember
[1] Current ratings as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

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Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

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Amount before allowance of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

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