Latin America's Cyber Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities in 2021
Latin America faces a complex cyber landscape in 2021, with no new Confucius Institutes opening in the region. Meanwhile, governance challenges create vulnerabilities exploited by authoritarian states like Russia and China.
The region's cybercrime conviction rate is a mere 1%, fostering a weak deterrent effect. Both Russia and China employ cyber tools, including disinformation and electoral interference, in their engagement with Latin America. Admiral Craig S. Faller, US Southern Command commander, recently highlighted cyber as a competitive domain for the US in the region.
Internet penetration varies widely, from 28% in Haiti to 81% in Costa Rica. The rapid technological expansion outpaces the region's capacity to regulate and cultivate online skills. Governance indicators reveal limitations in government effectiveness, corruption control, and the rule of law, particularly in cybersecurity.
Latin America's cyber vulnerabilities and varying internet access rates present challenges and opportunities for external actors. Russia and China pursue different goals in the region, with Russia aiming to boost its global credentials and China seeking access to natural resources and markets. The region must strengthen its cyber governance to address these complexities.
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