On October 15, Perry Center Professor Boris Saavedra successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on international peace and security at Spain’s Instituto Universitario General Gutiérrez Mellado, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). His dissertation, titled The Privatization of Security in Central America: The Case of El Salvador (La privatización de la seguridad en Centroamérica: El caso de El Salvador) won an “outstanding” mark from the institute. The Perry Center is proud of Dr. Saavedra’s achievement and continued scholarship in his field of expertise.

Dr. Boris Saavedra, a retired officer of the Venezuelan Air Force, has served in all operational positions in that service. He has devoted more than 20 years of his professional life to academic activities, both in Venezuela and in the US, ranging from flight instructor and academic professor to director of the Basic School of the Venezuelan Armed Forces. Saavedra is a graduate of the Venezuelan Air Force Academy, from which he received a BS in July 1968 in science and military arts, specializing in aeronautics. He subsequently attended tactical and Air Staff courses at the Air War College; the advanced military studies and joint and combined military operations courses at l’Ecole Supérieure de Guerre Interarmées of France (1983–1986) and the Advanced Course in National Defense at the Senior Institute for National Defense of Venezuela (1988–1989). In addition to his PhD, he has an MA in International Policy and Practice from George Washington University (2003).