He took a degree in Law at Santiago University and has been the director of the Galician Institute of Analysis and International Documentation since it was founded in 1991 as well as director of ‘Plácido Castro’ Foundation and the Galician Fund of Cooperation and Solidarity.
Xulio Ríos is the author of the following books: A conversión de Polonia (Cumio Publications, 1991), ¿Que foi daquel soño? (Xerais, 1992), Galicia e a Sociedade das Nacións (Galaxia, 1992), Biografía de Plácido Castro (Ir Indo, 1997), China, a próxima superpotencia (Laiovento, 1997), Hong Kong, camiño de volta (Laiovento, 1997), A China por dentro (Xerais, 1998), China (Icaria, 1998), Sempre no Mundo (Igadi, 2001), Plácido Castro, compilación xornalística (Do Castro Publications, 2002), Lois Tobío (Galegos na Historia, Ir Indo, 2003, at print). He also compiled and introduced Nacións Unidas. Textos fundamentais (Xerais, 1995) and Os dereitos da humanidade (Xerais, 1998). Xulio Ríos is also the coathor of Pensar a democracia (Editorial Inquérito, Lisboa 1994), Os conflictos dos Balcáns (Ir Indo Edicións, 1995), Rusia: das orixes á quebra dun modelo (Ir Indo Edicións, 1996), Cuba, independencia e revolución (Do Cumio Publications, 1998), A acción exterior das CCAA españolas en América Latina: o caso de Galicia (Aieti, 2002), Plácido Castro, no Centenario (Igadi, 2002).
He has been collaborating with the Annuals of the Centre of Investigation for Peace (Madrid) since 1993.