In a global context marked by growing concerns about supply chain integrity and digital sovereignty, Huawei has opted for a soft power strategy in Latin America.
Through training programs, scholarships, and partnerships with local universities, the Chinese telecommunications company is promoting digital training while strengthening its technological presence and supporting Beijing’s geopolitical agenda. Presented as a solution to the digital divide, these initiatives have raised questions about security risks and the potential for foreign influence in a region where technological autonomy is a growing priority.
“When technical training takes place within closed ecosystems and under ideological or technological frameworks that lack transparency, dependence replaces autonomy,” Juan Manuel Aguilar Antonio, a research professor on cybersecurity at the Aragón School of Higher Studies at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told Diálogo.
Among Huawei’s main initiatives is the “Seeds for the Future” program, launched in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2014, first in Colombia. More than 2,000 students in some 20 Latin American countries, including Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, have participated in this program. Aimed at young talent in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, the program offers advanced technical training provided by Huawei experts, visits to its facilities, practical activities, and, in some cases, study trips to China.
Guatemala’s case
Guatemala has maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 1934 and is one of only two countries in Central America (the other being Belize) that still officially recognize Taiwan. This makes them key targets for Beijing.
Recently, in April, Guatemalan officials revealed that the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ computer systems had been hacked by China-based cyber espionage groups. The hacking was discovered during a safety revision carried out by the Guatemalan government and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Beyond cyberattacks, a more systemic security vulnerability is growing through the expansion of Chinese telecommunications infrastructure. Huawei’s presence in the country has been growing. In 2019, the company had already begun developing a fiber optic network in Guatemala. In 2021, the company signed an agreement with the Guatemalan government to train public officials in the use of new technologies. Meanwhile, in 2022, some local telecommunications companies launched two 5G networks without imposing restrictions on technology providers.
However, this expansion is not without risks. Security analysts point out that under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, companies such as Huawei are legally required to cooperate with state intelligence services and provide access to all data requested, which poses a significant security vulnerability for foreign governments and institutions.
“Huawei’s nationalist orientation and strategic alignment with China’s foreign interests have guaranteed it state support, making it one of Beijing’s national champions,” Chinese foreign policy analyst Parsifal D’Sola Alvarado, who specializes in Sino-Latin American relations, notes in his report Huawei’s Expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In April, Galileo University in Guatemala joined the global Huawei ICT Academy network. In November 2023, Huawei’s first ICT academy was inaugurated at the Technical Training and Productivity Institute (INTECAP) in Guatemala. Huawei ICT Academy trains students in advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, among others. The initiative is part of a global strategy by Huawei that aims to train 2 million specialists by 2028.
“The risk lies in the lack of educational diversity and the imposition of design, thinking, and operating logic that privileges a single vision of the digital world,” says Aguilar Antonio.
To counter China’s growing influence and offer an alternative to the training programs promoted by Huawei, Taiwan announced in late 2024 a package of initiatives in support of Guatemala’s cybersecurity, including the creation of operational centers and new technical training programs. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Guatemala’s digital infrastructure and national security. Taiwan’s support is seen as a way to offer a transparent and democratic alternative to Chinese technology, thereby strengthening a long-standing partnership.
Controversies and questions
Huawei has actively sought contracts for critical infrastructure in Guatemala. In February 2025, the company was awarded a contract to create a computer recovery system for the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS). However, the contract was subsequently revoked, highlighting the wider concern among security analysts about the presence of Chinese technology in the country’s critical infrastructure.
“When it comes to strategic infrastructure that will operate health, transportation, defense, or financial systems, national security inevitably comes into play,” says Aguilar Antonio. According to the expert, “the key is to negotiate terms with sovereignty, strengthen cybersecurity capabilities, and clearly define what is outsourced and what is protected as a national asset.”
In an interview with the Guatemalan media outlet República, Evan Ellis, research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, pointed out the cybersecurity risks for one of the country’s leading banks, the Rural Development Bank (Banrural), where Huawei installed a computer system. “I was not surprised to learn that Huawei representatives have been very active in Guatemala, with several projects that introduce cyber threats, such as the system they have now sold to Banrural,” Ellis said.
In addition, Aguilar Antonio mentions that “installing critical banking systems under foreign architecture, especially when there is a close relationship between the company and a state with its own strategic interests, can open up security gaps and financial exposure.” The expert highlights the importance of “establishing conditions of use that prioritize data confidentiality, system interoperability, and the possibility of auditing the installed software and hardware, with a long-term vision of financial information protection and operational autonomy.”
Currently, Guatemala does not have a specific law on cybersecurity or a comprehensive regulatory framework for the protection of information held by public bodies and companies.
“The region needs technological allies,” concludes Aguilar Antonio. “But it also needs strategic capacity to negotiate conditions, demand transparency, and build a plural, secure, and sovereign digital ecosystem. The question is whether to choose technological dependence or autonomy.”
