Venezuela joins China-led AI alliance and adopts surveillance tech

Venezuela has joined the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) as a founding member. The intergovernmental body, spearheaded by China, was established following a meeting in Shanghai where 29 countries signed the constitutive act. Venezuela was represented by Isabel Iturria, the sectoral vice president for Science, Technology, Ecosocialism, and Health.

In addition to joining WAICO, reports indicate that the Venezuelan government is working to integrate Chinese artificial intelligence into its state surveillance and monitoring systems. An Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report reveals that Venezuela signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese firm iFlytek in July 2025. This agreement marks a shift from previous hardware-based imports to the acquisition of advanced AI capabilities, including large language models, to bolster existing monitoring infrastructure.