Costa Rica minister insists barring Chinese firms from 5G tender is technical, not political

Costa Rica's recently established information security regulations, which among other things prevent the contracting of 5G services and equipment from companies from countries that have not ratified the Budapest Convention, are technical and not politically motivated, according to an official.

The guidelines have sparked controversy by vetoing Chinese companies, such as Huawei, from being network suppliers. Costa Rica has not yet set a date for its 5G tender.

“I wish to firmly express that all actions regarding cybersecurity applied to telecommunications and the fight against cybercrime obey technical recommendations, and correspond to issues of public order and national interest,” science, innovation, technology and telecommunications minister Paula Bogantes wrote in an opinion piece posted on the ministry’s website.

Bogantes argued that the regulation takes as reference the recommendation on the cybersecurity of 5G networks issued by the EU in 2019, as well as documents issued by the OECD in 2022 in the context of the Budapest Convention, among other technical and legal documents.

The regulation applies to network operators and telecom service providers, so that the technological equipment they choose for their networks “complies with the minimum requirements for the safe provision of services," according to the minister, who came under internal and external pressure due to the regulations.

So far, no Latin American country that has tendered 5G spectrum has vetoed equipment from Chinese vendors.

“What is proposed is respectful of the principle of technological neutrality, since it does not require the use of a specific technology but rather it defines risk parameters for the operation of these networks and the provision of these services," wrote Bogantes.

She said that national cybersecurity was violated last year, affecting Costa Ricans' access to essential services due to an attack by cybercriminals on the site of social security and health agency CCSS. 

“The damage caused by the CONTI criminal group showed the vulnerability of our country in this matter and left our hands tied, given the impossibility of legal prosecution of the criminals and the lack of repair of the damage caused to public institutions, that is to all Costa Ricans,” according to the minister.

Within the framework of actions to address the emergency resulting from the 2022 cybersecurity attacks, the ministry sought to establish preventive measures against cybercrime in the development of 5G and superior networks, she said.

According to Bogantes, this is critical considering the greater opportunities for attacks that 5G will offer, given the deep integration at multiple levels with applications and services in all sectors provided by the technology.

“Protecting Costa Rica from cyberattacks and seeking the best conditions to fight cybercrime is not a political issue. The decisions we make are technical, seeking to protect Costa Rica and guarantee that the current and next generation grow up in a better country,” she argued.