Americas Quarterly's New Issue: Latin America's Alarming Vulnerability to Cyberattacks

New York, July 25, 2023—“When Costa Rica was hit by a massive ransomware attack in April 2022, paralyzing exports and exposing gigabytes of sensitive information online, it was a warning sign for the entire region,” write Americas Quarterly (AQ) editors in the magazine’s new issue, centering on what this susceptibility in cybersecurity means for Latin America. “While cybersecurity is a global problem, in Latin America lagging legislation and a lack of awareness often leave the issue solely in the hands of tech experts. But IT teams cannot solve problems when investments aren’t made. Digital security is a structural problem that needs to be tackled from the C-suites and presidential palaces. In short, leadership is needed.”

In the new issue's cover story, Cecilia Tornaghi writes that Latin America has digitized at a rapid pace in recent years but that the clear talent for adopting new technology has outpaced the region’s cyberdefenses. Latin America experiences some 1,600 attacks per second, she writes, and while hackers will target virtually anything, the list of recent attacks on governments and public institutions is especially alarming.

Randy Pestana says in another story that cybersecurity is a new battleground for the U.S.-China competition in Latin America and the Caribbean. The United States, he writes, can do more to shield Latin America and the Caribbean from cyber threats—and ensure it remains a preferred partner. Emilie Sweigart presents key indicators on cybersecurity investment and readiness to fight these attacks, tracking how Latin America scores among world regions in commitment to cybersecurity measures. Her graphs also show the share of organizations adopting artificial intelligence by region. John McIntire analyzes how the United States could help strengthen Cuban businesses and slow migration flows in the process. Susan Segal states that digital security must be tackled from the highest levels: It must be on the leaders’ and ministerial agenda if the issue is to be addressed appropriately in an acceptable time frame.

Also in this issue:

• Nick Burns focuses on how Jamaican human rights lawyer Malene Alleyne is using new legal avenues to push for action on climate change.
• The Long View: Britta Crandall and Russell Crandall write about how the Monroe Doctrine turns 200 this year and how, initially hailed by Latin American leaders, its chief legacy today is one of confusion.

The full issue is available at americasquarterly.org. View the PDF.

To request interviews with the authors, or to request publication permission, please contact AS/COA Media Relations at mediarelations@as-coa.org.