Name:	blx_FinancialAssetsWhileLossAllowanceMeasuredAtLifetimeExpectedCreditLossesForWhichLossAllowanceChangedDuringReportingPeriodTo12MonthExpectedCreditLossesGrossCarryingAmountBeforeModification
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The net carrying amount of financial assets before modification at a time when the loss allowance was measured at an amount equal to lifetime expected credit losses and for which the loss allowance has changed during the reporting period to an amount equal to 12-month expected credit losses.

No definition available.

Name:	blx_FinancialAssetsWhileLossAllowanceMeasuredAtLifetimeExpectedCreditLossesForWhichLossAllowanceChangedDuringReportingPeriodTo12MonthExpectedCreditLossesNetCarryingAmountBeforeModification
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The loss allowance measured at an amount equal to lifetime expected credit losses after the modification of financial assets for which the contractual cash flows have been modified during the reporting period.

No definition available.

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

The loss allowance measured at an amount equal to lifetime expected credit losses before the modification of financial assets.

No definition available.

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

The net carrying amount of financial assets that have been modified since initial recognition at a time when the loss allowance was measured at an amount equal to lifetime expected credit losses and for which the loss allowance has changed during the reporting period to an amount equal to 12-month expected credit losses.

No definition available.

Name:	blx_FinancialAssetsWithModifiedContractualCashFlowsWhileLossAllowanceMeasuredAtLifetimeExpectedCreditLossesForWhichLossAllowanceChangedDuringReportingPeriodTo12MonthExpectedCreditLossesNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	blx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

No definition available.

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfFinancialInstrumentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The gross carrying amount of financial assets that have been modified since initial recognition at a time when the loss allowance was measured at an amount equal to lifetime expected credit losses and for which the loss allowance has changed during the reporting period to an amount equal to 12-month expected credit losses. [Refer: Financial assets]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Effective 2018-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 35J
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_35J_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09