Smart Cities in Latin America

Concept, Architecture, Services and a Practical Model for Venezuelan Municipalities in the Era of AI and Big Data

Abstract

This article comprehensively develops the concept, architecture, and services of smart cities, offers a critical review of successful international models, contextualizes lessons for Latin America, and, as an original contribution, presents a Practical Smart City Model for municipalities in Venezuela (MPI-VZLA). The work is situated within the critical paradigm with a pragmatic-constructivist onto-epistemic stance that recognizes the socio-technical co-production of the urban environment and adopts a problem-solving epistemology oriented toward public issues based on evidence and participation. From the research line of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and big data, the article articulates theoretical foundations, international standards such as ISO 37120/37122 and ETSI NGSI-LD, AI ethics and governance frameworks proposed by UNESCO, OECD, and the EU, as well as innovative financing mechanisms including green and sustainability bonds, TIF, land value capture, and blended finance. The social impacts of municipal digitalization are systematized, and a roadmap with measurable indicators, risk management, and evaluation criteria is proposed. The article concludes with the MPI-VZLA, a modular, incremental, and viable framework for local governments facing severe fiscal and connectivity constraints.