OAS, INTERPOL and Brazil join forces to fight against cyberterrorism and organized crime

OAS, INTERPOL and Brazil join forces to fight against cyberterrorism and organized crime

This week, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Cybersecurity Program at the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and in partnership with the Federal Prosecution Service of Brazil and INTERPOL, hosted a 4-day workshop entitled “The use of the Internet for terrorist purposes and by organized crime” in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This workshop was financed by the Government of Canada and was aimed at improving the understanding and knowledge of law enforcement authorities to investigate and prosecute cases where the Internet is used in pernicious ways by cybercriminals to commit terrorist attacks and engage in organized criminal activities.
The Government of Brazil and the OAS welcomed the participation of representatives from 10 countries of Latin America, as well as experts from the Spanish Civil Guard, the Colombian National Police, the United Nations, the U.S. Department of Justice, Citi Bank and Trend Micro. This activity is the first of many events that the OAS/CICTE Cybersecurity Program is planning to organize in Brazil during 2017- 2018.
Carlos Bruno Ferreira da Silva, Brazil’s Assistant Prosecutor of International Cooperation, highlighted that international cooperation is essential to prosecute any kind of crime. He also pointed out that international cooperation has been essential in the Lava Jato investigation, as it is in any cyber investigation. Stephen Cartwright, Manager of the Security Portfolio at the Consulate General of Canada, stressed that, for Canada, cooperation with Brazil and other Latin American countries to strengthen cyber capacities is a high priority.
OAS representatives in this activity were Mr. Belisario Contreras, Cybersecurity Program Manager, and Ms. Barbara Marchiori de Assis, Cybersecurity Program Officer, who said that the General Secretariat of the OAS is ready to work with the Government of Brazil on a number of different cyber issues. OAS representatives highlighted the key role that Brazil plays in the Americas region and in the international cyber debate. OAS officials made a special call to Government representatives to continue working to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity capacity, as well as to increase efforts to foster a cybersecurity culture throughout the country.