I am a PhD candidate in Government at Cornell University. My research examines how citizens respond politically to criminal violence, with a focus on Latin America and Mexico. I study how emotions, risk perceptions, and everyday experiences of insecurity shape public preferences over state responses to organized crime. My work also explores related questions about criminal governance, migration, and the use of artificial intelligence in law enforcement.
In my dissertation, The Politics of Feeling Unsafe: How Emotions Shape Public Security Preferences, I examine how individuals choose between supporting punitive policing and backing negotiated, violence-reducing arrangements between the state and criminal organizations. I conducted field and lab research in Mexico—primarily Puebla and
Mexico City—between 2023 and 2024, complemented by focus groups, surveys, and longitudinal data. I argue that to understand contemporary security preferences, we must grapple with the emotions crime evokes—especially anger and fear. The findings show that anger tends to generate support for punitive responses, whereas fear increases backing for negotiated arrangements such as state–cartel truces or agreements between rival gangs.
I grew up in Argentina and hold a BA in International Relations from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and an MA from Johns Hopkins SAIS. I have served as a visiting researcher at CIDE (Mexico City) and BUAP (Puebla). My research is forthcoming in the Journal of Conflict Resolution and has received support from the American Political Science Association and the British Academy.