LTC Octavio Perez, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Senior Fellow | Politico-Military Affairs

Lt. Colonel Octavio Perez is a highly experienced U.S. Army intelligence officer with more than two decades of active-duty service and additional reserve assignments. He specialized in intelligence and Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare, commanding operations at Fort Leonard Wood and serving in the Republic of Korea. At the Defense Intelligence Agency, he focused on North Korean military analysis and responded to crises involving the Achille Lauro and TWA 847 incidents. Perez volunteered with the 1st Cavalry Division during Desert Shield/Storm and later served as Chief Intelligence Instructor at the U.S. Army School of the Americas, training Latin American officers in low-intensity conflict. His reserve career culminated at U.S. Southern Command as a strategic intelligence officer (J2 Ops).

Dr. Angel Diaz

Senior Fellow | SME

Dr. Angel Diaz is the founder and CEO of Allegient Defense, a federally focused consultancy that delivers programmatic, IT, and science-based solutions. A U.S. Navy veteran with over two decades of experience, he has advised DHS, FBI, and other agencies on cloud computing, data analytics, AI, and next-generation weapon systems. He holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Executive Leadership from The George Washington University and an MBA, an M.S. in Management Information Systems, and a B.S. in Computer Studies. Guided by a mission-centric philosophy, Dr. Diaz remains a leading voice in defense innovation, cybersecurity, and organizational science.

Dr. Luis Noguerol

Senior Fellow | SME – CYBER

Dr. Luis Noguerol is a seasoned IT executive with expertise in Federal regulations (NIST 800, FIPS, FISMA) and data protection for both private and public sectors. He identifies and addresses IT security risks, leveraging his Ph.D. in Management with a focus on Organizational Leadership–Information Systems & Technology, an MS in Applied Mathematics & Information Systems, and multiple certifications (CEH, CHFI, Security+). He is a published author, scholar, and a frequent TV and radio news contributor.

Dr. María Herrera Mellado

Senior Fellow | International Law & National Security

Dr. María Herrera Mellado is a licensed attorney in the United States and Spain. She has extensive experience in business and immigration law and consulting on national security and international policy across Europe, the U.S., and Latin America. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Business Law, a J.D. and LL.M. (with a mining law focus) from the University of Arizona, and an MBA from Florida International University.

A prolific author, Dr. Herrera Mellado has published articles on data protection, emerging technologies, and comparative banking law in leading professional journals across Spain, Portugal, Peru, and Brazil. She co-authored two books on data protection and technology in comparative law. She has received accolades, including a Certificate of Merit from the City of Miami and recognition as one of the most influential women in Florida by Diario Las Américas. Fluent in English, Spanish, and French (with basic Portuguese), she frequently contributes to Spanish-language media such as Univision, Telemundo, and Diario Las Américas. She serves as editor-in-chief of Gateway Hispanic.

Frank Rodriguez

Senior Fellow

Frank Rodríguez is a veteran editor, educator, and historian with over 50 years of experience in bilingual publishing, language instruction, and cultural preservation. He has led the development of hundreds of educational programs in Spanish and English at major publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Scott Foresman, and Berlitz, and created the acclaimed Auto Inglés® course for Spanish speakers.

A recognized leader in bilingual education, Rodríguez has also served as a news producer for América TeVé and is currently a historian at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora, where he curates exhibit texts and leads tours. He has translated over 150 books, authored and edited numerous works on Cuban history, and contributed to Cuban Exiles: A Struggle for Truth and Freedom.

Rodríguez holds an MA and BA in Economics from the University of Miami and has dedicated his career to advancing language learning and preserving the Cuban exile narrative.

CDR José Adán Gutiérrez, USN (Ret.)

Senior Fellow | SME – LATAM

José Adán Gutiérrez oversees Latin American operations and strategy, bringing 40+ years of military, civilian, and private-sector experience. Fluent in Spanish, he has extensive intelligence, security, and diplomatic expertise across the Americas, including over two decades as a Naval Intelligence Officer and service as a U.S. Naval Attaché in Panama. He previously held senior roles at SAIC, Mission Essential, and INDETEC, and he has advanced degrees from Naval War College and NYU.

Leonardo Morales Coca

Senior Fellow | Investigative Journalist

Leonardo Morales is a veteran journalist and editorial leader with over 30 years of experience in political and economic reporting across the Americas. A graduate of the University of Havana with a degree in journalism, Morales began his career in 1992 at CMHW Radio in central Cuba.

In 2003, Morales joined The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, where he served as an editor for nearly 16 years. Specializing in U.S. and global politics and economics, he led coverage of high-impact events and developments. He also served as the lead editor of El Nuevo Herald’s 36-page Bloomberg supplement, delivering in-depth economic reporting and analysis. Concurrently, he worked as a news producer and writer at Univision, one of the leading Spanish-language networks in the United States.

In 2020, Morales was appointed U.S. Politics and Economics Editor at Diario Las Américas, contributing to both the weekly print edition and the digital platform. Over the past five years, he has authored hundreds of investigative and analytical articles, widely cited by national and international media. His reporting has become a trusted source for radio and television commentary, as well as for academic and policy discussions on economic and political trends.

Jaime (Jim) Gonzalez

Senior Fellow | Analytical Tradecraft SME

Jaime Gonzalez is a veteran intelligence professional and military officer with over 40 years of service in the U.S. Army and Intelligence Community. He has led intelligence operations, counterdrug analysis, and strategic threat assessments, shaping national security policies and mentoring future leaders. He served as a U.S. Military Attaché in Latin America, as Provost Marshal in Germany, and later as a Senior Intelligence Officer, overseeing HUMINT operations and key defense analyses. A recognized expert in intelligence tradecraft, he has developed training programs, authored classified publications, and received multiple national intelligence awards for his contributions.
As a Senior Intelligence Officer, he guided analytical efforts that informed national security decisions and served with distinction in multiple senior roles at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), including as Chief of Military Forces Analysis. Gonzalez’s outstanding performance has earned him numerous military and civilian awards, including the DIA Negus Award for Outstanding Analytical Excellence, three ODNI National Intelligence Team Awards, and the National Intelligence Council Intelligence Award.

Isabel Cuervo

Senior Fellow | Investigative Journalist

Isabel Cuervo, born in Cali, Colombia, is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentarian, and columnist. Colombia’s first female war photojournalist, she covered politics, armed conflict, and the violence of drug cartels and paramilitaries in the 1990s. She later worked with major U.S. and Hispanic media outlets including NBC-Telemundo, Univision, USAGM, and MegaTV, earning multiple honors, among them an EMMY in the category of Social Concern.
In 2018, after exposing George Soros’s networks in Latin America, Cuervo faced censorship, threats, and a federal investigation in the United States. She went on to build a large independent platform, becoming the first journalist to reveal Soros’s role in funding the 2020 U.S. protests. Today, with more than 175,000 followers across digital platforms, she leads the Isabel Cuervo Foundation for press freedom and continues her work as an investigative journalist, filmmaker, and geopolitical analyst.

Andrés Alburquerque

Senior Fellow

Andrés Alburquerque is a Cuban-born political analyst, university professor, and media personality recognized for his outspoken defense of democratic values and his unwavering criticism of authoritarianism in Latin America. Born in Havana in 1956 to a Communist family, he witnessed early on the disillusionment that followed the Cuban Revolution—a turning point that shaped his lifelong commitment to political truth and civic freedom.

Forced into exile, Alburquerque lived across Europe and Latin America—including Italy, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico—before establishing permanent residence in the United States in 2007. Since then, he has been an active voice in the Republican Party, known for his independent views and willingness to confront ideological complacency within his political ranks.

Alburquerque is the author of Diez cuentos cubanos más o menos, a literary work that reflects his deep cultural roots and critical perspective on Cuban society. He also hosts Enfoque Ciudadano, a program on YouTube dedicated to analyzing the political and social dilemmas confronting American democracy in the face of growing leftist influence.

His expertise and personal experience have made him a frequent guest on radio and television programs in Miami, where he offers commentary on Cuba, human rights, and regional politics.

Dr. José J. Sanmartín

Senior Fellow | Europe Liaison

Dr. José J. Sanmartín is a Political Science Professor at the University of Alicante, Spain, and President of Radix Intelligentia. He is recognized as one of Spain’s leading experts in disinformation, a collaborator of “Crystal Code”, and a member of the Advisory Council of Harvard Business Review (HBR), United States. He holds two PhDs in Philosophy (University of Murcia) and Political Science (UNED), and master’s degrees in Public Policy and European Union Law. A lifetime member of multiple international associations, he has conducted research at Harvard and McGill. Speaker in relevant scientific conferences held at Oxford and other top universities. Prof. Sanmartín authored over sixty indexed scientific publications.

Dr. Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat

Senior Fellow

Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat is a Spokesperson for the Cuban Democratic Directorate and a member of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance. Through his efforts, he has helped establish the Justice Cuba Commission, served as an international diplomat for the cause of a Free Cuba, and organized the Anti-Communist and Anti-Socialist Caravan and Seminar. Gutierrez-Boronat earned his bachelor’s degrees in communications and political science and his master’s degree in political science from Florida International University and his doctorate in international relations from the University of Miami.

Alexis Torres

Senior Fellow | Public Safety & Homeland Security

Mr. Alexis Torres is a seasoned expert in federal, state, and municipal security operations. He previously served as Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety and held senior positions with Homeland Security Investigations. With a Top Secret/SCI clearance, he has advised on national security policies and law enforcement strategies at the highest levels, contributing to key intelligence-led initiatives.
As Secretary, he led a major restructuring of Puerto Rico’s public safety system, achieving $80 million in cost savings and securing more than $137 million in federal funding to strengthen critical infrastructure. He also worked closely with the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) to develop long-term funding strategies for public safety.
Alexis specializes in federal grant acquisition, interagency coordination, and the integration of innovative security technologies to combat transnational crime and support resilient communities.

Maibort Petit

Senior Fellow | Transnational Organized Crime & Terrorism

Maibort Petit is a political scientist and researcher specializing in transnational organized crime and terrorism in Latin America. Her work examines criminal networks within hybrid governance systems, the capture of state institutions, and their national and hemispheric security impacts. She advances policy solutions that strengthen interstate cooperation, strategic intelligence sharing, and harmonized legal frameworks—anchored in sustained regional political will. With 20+ years of experience, Petit has contributed to international debates on organized crime, criminal governance, and victim protection, and is a frequent speaker at academic, policy, and security forums across the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Governmental and non-governmental institutions recognize her expertise.

Petit holds Bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Political Science, a Master’s degree in Political Communication from George Washington University, and a Master’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Systems of Government from the University of Zulia. She pursued doctoral studies in Political Science at the Central University of Venezuela. She completed academic studies in Latin American Politics at La Sorbonne and Paris III and in Foreign Policy at the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry. This strong educational background underpins her research on criminal governance and security challenges in Latin America.

Fabián Calle

Senior Fellow | Country Liaison – Argentina

Fabián Calle is a Senior Fellow and Country Liaison for Argentina at the Miami Strategic Intelligence Institute (MSI²). He holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Buenos Aires, two master’s degrees in International Relations (FLACSO and Università di Bologna, Italy), and specialized training in International Economic Strategy at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the UBA, the National Defense University in Washington D.C., and in defense and counterterrorism. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in History at Torcuato Di Tella University.

With extensive academic experience, he has taught at Torcuato Di Tella University, UCEMA, the Argentine Catholic University, the Università di Bologna, and the Joint War School of the Armed Forces. He previously served as Senior Researcher at the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI) and at CONICET, and was part of France’s “Leaders of the Future” program. He has been awarded scholarships from the Ford Foundation and CONICET at the initiation, improvement, and postdoctoral levels.

Professionally, Calle has worked as an analyst at the Argentine Navy General Staff and as advisor to the Ministry of Defense under several administrations, including that of Minister Horacio Jaunarena. Since 2011, he has been an advisor to the Ministry of Defense and the Bapro Group, while also leading the Defense area at Codesur. He currently serves as Director of the International Security Institute at CARI, Senior Fellow at FIU, editorial advisor for DEF Magazine, and columnist on security and defense issues for Infobae and the DEF TV program. His career bridges academia, research, and strategic consulting in security, defense, and international affairs.

Alex Humberto Ladino Téllez

Senior Fellow | MSI²

Colonel Ladino Téllez has a distinguished career in the Colombian Air Force, with extensive experience in air operations, hemispheric security, and multinational cooperation. His professional profile reflects a steadfast commitment to defending national sovereignty, combating narcotics trafficking, and strengthening strategic cooperation between Colombia and the United States.

Miguel Ángel Toma

Senior Fellow | Argentina

Miguel Ángel Toma holds degrees in Philosophy and Theology from Universidad del Salvador and served as a full professor of Philosophical Anthropology. Toma’s extensive public service career includes roles as National Deputy, President of the National Defense Committee, Secretary of Internal Security, Secretary of National Intelligence, and Minister of the Interior during the 2001 Argentinazo crisis. He authored key national laws on defense, internal security, and intelligence. Active in both politics and the private sector, he leads the Intelligence, Defense, and Security area at Fundación Encuentro and currently presides over the consulting firm TCC Advice.

Pedro von Eyken

Senior Fellow | Argentina

Von Eyken holds a Ph.D. and a degree in Political Science from the Universidad Católica Argentina. A career diplomat from 1983 to 2021, he served in Germany, Cuba, and Finland, and was Ambassador to Haiti from 2017 to 2019. He speaks English, German, Portuguese, and knows French. He is also a Rotary member and President of the Rotary Club Río de la Plata (2023–2024).

He has been a columnist for the international section of the Miami-based TV program Poder & Dinero (2022–2023) and a member of the Editorial Board of Revista Criterio in Buenos Aires (2015–2020).

In 2022, he published Testigo de una revolución traicionada, based on his doctoral thesis on Cuba’s economy fifty years after the revolution. His 2024 book, Haití, entre el silencio y el hambre, explores the country’s past, present, and possible future. He has also written extensively on international affairs in Argentine and Latin American media.

Verioska Velasco

Senior Fellow | Liaison Taiwan

Verioska Velasco is a journalist and strategic communications advisor with expertise in government affairs, crisis management, political campaigns, civil society, and investigative journalism. Her work is defined by a strong commitment to defending truth, freedom of expression, and democracy as foundations of justice and social welfare.
She has more than twenty years of experience across Latin America and the United States, including serving as External Communications Advisor to former Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez (2015–2023). Velasco has also directed communications for Fundación Juan Guillermo Cuadrado in Colombia, produced investigative reports on illegal mining for SOI TV, collaborated with NPR on its Crime in Latin America series, and held leadership roles at Globovisión.com in Caracas.
Velasco holds a degree in Social Communication with a specialization in Audiovisual Journalism from the University of Zulia, Venezuela, and is pursuing a Master’s in Strategic Studies on Asia-Pacific and Latin America at Tamkang University in Taiwan. Her expertise blends journalism, political analysis, and media strategy with a regional focus on Latin America.