The Blue Wave Hits Houston: CINEX Opens the Door to Energy, Trade & Innovation

June 13, 2026

A high-energy afternoon of business, partnership, and Caribbean hospitality — capped by a Harris County proclamation naming June 12 “Curaçao Business & Networking Day”

HOUSTON, TX — June 13, 2026 — Curaçao made its case to the Americas in the heart of Houston. On June 12, the Curaçao Investment & Export Promotion Agency (CINEX) in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development of Curaçao (MEO) hosted Curaçao: Gateway to Energy, Trade & Innovation at the Downtown Aquarium’s Nautilus Ballroom, drawing government officials, investors, and industry leaders for an afternoon built on one idea: Curaçao is a stable, strategically located platform for companies looking to expand across the region.

The Voices on Stage

Following strategic framing from Consul den Breems, five leaders mapped the opportunity across Curaçao’s key sectors:

  • Miles Mercera, CEO of CINEX — doing business with and through Curaçao, from opportunity to execution
  • Patrick Newton, CEO of 2BAYS — Curaçao as a strategic energy platform in the Americas
  • Cristina de Freitas-Bras, CEO of the Curaçao financial services association (CIFA) — the island’s financial services landscape
  • Johnathan Montessant, MMOTAX — tax structure and incentives
  • Anuschka Cova, CEO of the Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA) — tourism opportunities

A Proclamation to Mark the Moment

In a standout moment, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, chief executive of the nation’s third-largest county, offered warm remarks on Houston as a global gateway and her office’s role as a counterpart for two-way investment, from Curaçao to Houston and Houston to Curaçao. She then presented an official Harris County Proclamation naming June 12, 2026 “Curaçao Business & Networking Day,” celebrating the shared commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship.

CINEX organized the Houston event with one clear objective: to put Curaçao’s investment case in front of the decision-makers who can act on it. Houston is not a random stop on a World Cup tour. It is the energy capital of the world, home to the largest concentration of oil and gas executives, port and logistics operators, and financial services professionals in the United States, precisely the industries where Curaçao has infrastructure, incentives, and open doors.

The World Cup provided the moment. CINEX provided the substance. And the combination of a 150,000-person island qualifying for the world’s biggest sporting stage while simultaneously presenting a $995 million active investment pipeline, a 5.2% GDP growth trajectory, and a jurisdiction with Dutch legal standards, a USD-pegged currency, and preferential trade access to both the US and the EU — made for a room that came for the football and stayed for the opportunity.

Powered by Partnership

The event was executed in partnership with T•E•A•M Houston and NBSO Texas office  the local initiative connecting Houston’s business, hospitality, and sports communities.

About CINEX — The Curaçao Investment & Export Promotion Agency advances economic development, international trade, and strategic investment for Curaçao through innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaboration across the Caribbean and the Americas.

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