Panama president Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez and United States president Barack Obama have witnessed a historic agreement in which Copa Airlines and Boeing announced an order for 61 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 airplanes. The order, valued at $6.6 billion at list prices, is the largest commercial transaction ever between a Panamanian and a US-based company. The signing ceremony took place in Panama City as leaders from throughout the Western hemisphere gathered for the seventh Summit of the Americas.