Michael Lettieri

I began working on Latin American issues in 2005 as a Research Fellow for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, where I focused on elections and social movements. I received my Ph.D. in Latin American history from the University of California, San Diego in 2014, with a specialization in modern Mexican politics. My academic research explored urban transportation, business groups, corruption, and the political culture of the single-party regime. As a program officer at the Trans-Border Institute from 2015 to 2018 I developed and managed a certificate program and oversaw research projects on human rights in Mexico.

 

My current work is broadly focused on violence, security policy, and civil society in Mexico, with emphasis on collaborative projects with local activists. This has included research on journalism and freedom of expression, femicide and gender violence, and disappearances. A list of academic and other publications can be found here.

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I co-founded and serve as Managing Editor of the Mexico Violence Resource Project, and I am currently a Senior Fellow for Human Rights at the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies. I also teach in UC San Diego's International Studies Program.