Costa Rica declares ‘emergency’ due to ongoing cyberattacks

By Sinan Dogan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) – Costa Rica, a Central American country, on Saturday declared an “emergency” due to the ongoing cyberattacks in the country.

The National Emergency Commission under the leadership of President Rodrigo Chavez announced the emergency to deal with the attacks more effectively.

Reporting serious material damage caused by cyberattacks, the country’s Finance Ministry said its digital systems are still not working properly.

A Russian-speaking group “Conti” claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The US State Department announced last week that it was offering up to $10 million in rewards for those who will help identify or locate the group’s leaders.

A statement by the Costa Rican Presidency on April 22 stated that there had been a cyberattack on government agencies for a week and that some digital platforms had been disabled.

* Writing by Merve Berker