US Ambassador accuses China of cyberespionage in Latin America

US Ambassador to Panama, Kevin Marino Cabrera, has accused actors linked to China of conducting cyberespionage operations against entities in Latin America. The allegations follow findings by cybersecurity firm ESET, which identified a campaign attributed to the group FamousSparrow. According to researchers, the group utilized a backdoor known as SparroWocky to target organizations across several Latin American countries.

Cabrera warned that these digital threats target critical systems and can compromise national sovereignty. He emphasized that protecting digital infrastructure requires international cooperation and the use of reliable technologies.

The Chinese Embassy in Panama rejected the accusations, calling them defamatory. The embassy stated that China opposes cyberespionage and cyberattacks, accusing the United States of using cybersecurity issues to discredit China. The diplomatic mission described the US as an “empire of hackers” and urged for international cooperation instead of confrontation.