A professor emeritus of the Central University of Venezuela and fellow of the Transnational Institute, he is the author of numerous books and research articles on democracy theory, the limits of industrialization and economic growth, and left-wing movements in Latin America.

[5][6][7] At university Lander initially vacillated between studying physics and psychology before eventually setting on sociology.

[12] In July 2017, Lander was one of the signatories to a declaration by the Plataforma Ciudadana en Defensa de la Constitución (Citizen Platform in Defense of the Constitution), whose members had been supporters of Chávez but were highly critical of his successor Nicolás Maduro.

[13][a]A further declaration was issued in late January 2019 co-authored by Lander and seven other members of the Plataforma Ciudadana en Defensa de la Constitución.

[14][15] In early February members of the group, including Lander and Héctor Navarro, a former minister in the Chávez government, met with Guaidó to discuss the way forward.