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Risk management (Details 5) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure of financial risk management [Abstract]
Tier 1 capital	$ 1,048,304	$ 1,054,719
Risk weighted assets	$ 5,601,518	$ 6,350,544
Tier 1 capital ratio	18.71%	16.61%

X

- Definition

It is composed of corecapital, which consists primarily of common stock and disclosed reserves

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	blx_CoreCapital
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	blx_DisclosureOfFinancialRiskManagementAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

TheTier 1 capital ratiois theratioof a bank's coreequity capitalto its total risk-weighted assets.

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No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	blx_Tier1CapitalRatio
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of risk-weighted assets as calculated in accordance with U.S. Federal regulatory capital standards.

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No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RiskWeightedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant