All 37 participating countries and territories were represented by their respective delegates.

Pop superstar Shakira, who was born in Barranquilla, was the most high-profile performer at the Opening Ceremony.

Other famous Colombians in attendance were television host Paulina Vega, two-time Olympic silver medal-winning shooter Helmut Bellingrodt, former professional baseball shortstop Édgar Rentería and singer Checo Acosta.  

The Opening Ceremony was directed by Víctor Ariza.

"These Central American and Caribbean Games will leave a valuable legacy for Barranquilla, which will not only be the high-class sports venues built, nor the wonderful Opening Ceremony that Víctor Ariza's team prepared," a Barranquilla 2018 statement reads.

"It will also have a visible inheritance in the road infrastructure, in those channeled streams, in the improvement of the parks, and in the number of job positions created directly and indirectly."

Nearly 6,000 athletes are due to compete in all across 40 sports.

There will be 470 events across a mammoth programme running through to August 3.

Roberto Meléndez Stadium will also host athletics.

Cuba topped the medal table at the last Games, held in 2014 in Veracruz in Mexico.

Barranquilla were only named as hosts of the Games after Quetzaltenango in Guatemala was stripped of the rights in 2014 following financial and logistical problems.

Colombia last played host to the event, run by the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization, in 2006 in Cartagena.