On Wednesday, Rimo the gecko was chosen as the official mascot of the Lima 2027 Pan American and Parapan American Games. This reptile, native to the Peruvian coast and an inhabitant of huacas (pre-Columbian sacred sites) and archaeological complexes, won the contest promoted by the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD) with 11,038 votes, after the public voting ended.
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Rimo beat out the other two finalists: Kusi, a sea lion representing the connection between the Lima coast and the Pacific Ocean, and Sisa, an amancae flower from the hills of Lima.
The design, created by Nicola Ieva, seeks to pay homage to this endemic species which, according to its creator, “jumps, swims, climbs, and scales to achieve its goal of moving forward,” emulating the effort of the athletes. The reptile’s tail features the colors of the event’s logo.
The winning proposal will receive a prize of 5,000 soles (US$1,461). The president of the organizing committee, Sergio Ludeña, stated that “the competition represents a great opportunity for the talent and creativity of the entire country to be part of a historic event.”
El camino hacia Lima 2027 continúa en Santo Domingo 2026.
Los Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe reunirán a los mejores atletas de la región y otorgarán plazas para los Juegos Panamericanos.Más información en nuestra nota de prensa:https://t.co/vxh0nIINiF pic.twitter.com/707IGVFB2f
— Lima 2027 (@Lima2027Juegos) July 21, 2026
The tex reads, “The road to Lima 2027 continues in Santo Domingo 2026. The Central American and Caribbean Games will bring together the region’s best athletes and award spots for the Pan American Games.”
A specialized jury selected the finalists, evaluating criteria such as creativity, originality, concept, identity, visual impact, versatility, and technique.
It is worth noting that a gecko and an amancae flower were also finalists in the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, whose mascot was Milco, a cuchimilco (a type of pet) from the pre-Incan Chancay culture.
Lima will host the competition in July and August 2027, bringing together more than 8,000 competitors from 41 countries. This will be the second time in eight years that the Peruvian capital has hosted this event, following the success of the 2019 edition.
#Peru | A law excluding police and military personnel from ordinary justice when they commit crimes on duty took effect. The law was promoted and enacted by the president of Congress, Fernando Rospigliosi, a member of the Fujimori party.https://t.co/5YfLhHDMuJ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 22, 2026
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