• Senior Research Fellow

Iria Puyosa

Iria Puyosa is a senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Democracy+Tech Initiative. She specializes in the complex interplay between technology and political dynamics. 

For over a decade, Puyosa has investigated information operations that undermine democratic institutions and fuel political instability. Her work uncovers the multifaceted threats of digital authoritarianism and contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges facing democracies in the digital age. Her research has exposed how Latin American authoritarian regimes use technology to silence dissent, surveil citizens, and control information flows. 

Currently, Puyosa is focused on the tech policy environment in Sub-Saharan Africa. She is leading a project aiming to understand the region’s unique challenges and opportunities in navigating the digital age. By providing insights into the potential impacts of technology on development and human rights, her work contributes to developing effective and inclusive digital policies in the Global Majority countries. 

Puyosa is also investigating emerging trends in the usage of technologies for repression, including digital surveillance, digital identity, and the deployment of data integration systems for population control. 

Puyosa is also a member of the Toda Peace Institute’s International Research Advisory Council, where she advises on information warfare, social media and political conflicts, and conflict-sensitive approaches in social media platforms. 

She actively participates in global Internet and tech governance processes, providing informed advice to policymakers and shaping strategies to counter 

Information manipulation, limiting state surveillance, and protecting personal data through encrypted communications. Puyosa has highlighted the need for international cooperation and advocacy to protect human rights and promote digital freedom worldwide through her work.

Puyosa holds a PhD from the University of Michigan and a master’s in communication from the Andres Bello Catholic University in Venezuela. She was previously an associate professor at the College of Social Sciences at the Central University of Venezuela and a visiting professor at the Center of Latin American Studies at Brown University. Additionally, Puyosa chaired the Section on Venezuelan Studies in the Latin American Studies Association. 

Throughout her career, Puyosa has authored numerous scholarly publications on information operations and digital authoritarianism, including “21st Century Authoritarianism in the Digital Sphere” and “Asymmetrical Information Warfare in the Venezuelan Contested Media Spaces.”