Received his law degree from the Catholic University Andres Bello in Venezuela. He earned a Specialization in Procedural Law at the Central University of Venezuela and holds a Master in International Legal Studies from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.

His career includes four years as a lawyer at the international law firm Baker & McKenzie and ten years at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States, where among other important positions, he was the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.

He is the author of several published academic articles on human rights. He has been invited to speak at numerous seminars, conferences, and meetings around the world, with numerous appearances in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

He is a member of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia; he was on the Board of its International Law Section and was Chairman of its Committee on Inter-American Legal Affairs. He is also a member of the American Bar Association. He is fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese.