The Digi Americas Alliance hosted the LATAM CISO Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, bringing together nearly 400 senior cybersecurity leaders, policymakers, and executives from across Latin America and beyond. Building on last year’s gathering of just over 200 participants, this year’s summit demonstrated the region’s growing focus on cybersecurity as both a strategic priority and an operational necessity.

Over three days of keynotes, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the summit explored some of the most pressing issues in cybersecurity, from protecting critical infrastructure and developing regional cooperation frameworks to the implications of artificial intelligence, digital identity, and emerging threats.

Brazil’s Cybersecurity Leadership

A keynote address by Marcos Antonio Amaro Dos Santos, Minister of State and Head of the Institutional Security Office, Presidency of Brazil, set the tone for the summit, highlighting the evolution of Brazil’s national cybersecurity policies, including the establishment of a national strategy for cyber and stronger integration between public and private entities.

He emphasized the importance of advancing Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) across the region, particularly within essential sectors and critical infrastructure. Special attention, he noted, should be paid to medium- and small-sized enterprises, which are increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats but often lack the resources to defend themselves.

Cyber Policy in Focus

Cybersecurity’s growing political relevance in Brazil was further underscored during a panel with Senator Esperidião Amin and Senator Sergio Moro, two leading voices in the Brazilian Senate. Once a topic rarely discussed in the legislature, cybersecurity is now at the center of an ongoing effort to build a comprehensive legal framework for the nation.

Both senators spoke about the work of the parliamentary front on cybersecurity, which is developing legislation to strengthen cyber defenses across all sectors. A draft of the proposed law, expected to evolve into a national defense law, will soon be released for public consultation before being presented to Congress.

Regional Themes and Global Challenges

The broader summit agenda featured panels on themes such as:

• Global risk and regional response, assessing how international threat trends shape Latin American priorities.
• Cybersecurity legislation in Brazil, highlighting challenges and opportunities for regulatory progress.
• Building the future, focusing on talent, investment, and innovation in the cybersecurity workforce.
• Securing essential services, with discussions on shared intelligence and defending critical infrastructure.
• Geopolitics and cybersecurity, examining the global power shifts influencing digital resilience.

These sessions, among others, underscored the reality that cyber threats are becoming more advanced and interconnected, requiring not only technical solutions but also deeper collaboration across borders and industries.

Beyond the formal sessions, the summit offered an opportunity for networking and collaboration. Senior executives, policymakers, and operators exchanged insights, shared best practices, and forged new partnerships. The collective commitment displayed by participants underscored the importance of working together to build a resilient and secure digital future for Latin America.

Looking Ahead

As the region continues to strengthen its cybersecurity posture, the LATAM CISO Summit has emerged as a cornerstone event for driving dialogue and action. The growth in participation and the depth of engagement at this year’s gathering in Rio de Janeiro demonstrate that cybersecurity is no longer a peripheral issue, it is central to Latin America’s economic security, digital transformation, and long-term resilience.

We look forward to continuing these critical conversations at next year’s summit in Cancún, Mexico, ensuring that Latin America remains at the forefront of the global cybersecurity dialogue.

Photos from the Summit can be found here.

Follow the Digi Americas Alliance and its work throughout the next year at https://digiamericas.org/. 

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