Rubio pledges US support for Costa Rica's fight against cyberattacks, drug trafficking

STATE DEPARTMENT — 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Tuesday pledged U.S. enactment to bolster Costa Rica's cybersecurity defenses, 5G telecommunications infrastructure, and its conflict against narcotics.

Rubio made the connection astatine a associated property league with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, whose Central American federation faces much than 100 cardinal cyberattacks annually.

"It's precise superior — 110 cardinal cyberattacks a twelvemonth for a state of this size — it's extraordinary, and they person faced it precise bravely," Rubio told reporters successful San Jose, Costa Rica's capital.

In precocious 2024, section media reported that Costa Rican officials, successful collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, identified cyber intrusions by transgression groups successful China targeting the country's telecommunications and exertion system, an allegation the Chinese Embassy successful Costa Rica denied.

In August 2023, Chaves issued a decree regulating 5G mobile web development, limiting engagement to companies based successful signatory-states to the Budapest Convention connected Cybercrime — an planetary pact addressing cybercrime.

San Jose should beryllium lauded for being "very firm," Rubio said, against companies "backed by governments similar the authorities of China that likes to threaten, that likes to sabotage, that likes to usage economical coercion to punish you."

VOA has reached retired to the Chinese Embassy successful Washington for remark but has not yet received a response.

US assistance waiver

Rubio besides vowed that Washington wouldn't "eliminate overseas aid" but prioritize assistance for trusted partners and allies. He pledged continued practice with Costa Rica, offering FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration enactment to analyse cause trafficking to the U.S.

"We issued a waiver contiguous due to the fact that Costa Rica" has utilized U.S. assistance efficaciously to hole problems that besides payment the United States, Rubio said. "They're stopping drugs, they're stopping criminals, they're identifying terrorists."

The State Department's Office of Foreign Assistance has not responded to VOA's enquiry for further details connected the waiver.

Rubio's five-nation circuit crossed Central America and the Caribbean marks his archetypal large diplomatic ngo arsenic caput of state, with cardinal priorities including curbing amerciable migration into the U.S. and combating cause trafficking.

On Tuesday afternoon, the caput arrived successful Guatemala pursuing discussions with leaders from Panama, El Salvador and Costa Rica. He is scheduled to question to the Dominican Republic connected Wednesday.