US EditionAI, Outdated Visuals Fuel Misinformation After Maduro Capture
A video from July 2024 showing protests against Nicolás Maduro was falsely linked to his 2026 US detention, misleading social media users and news reports.
- A viral post claimed Venezuelan citizens were celebrating President Nicolás Maduro's capture by tearing down his posters, while NewsGuard reported seven fabricated posts tied to the US operation with over 14 million views on X.
- US forces detained Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelan president, and Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife, transporting them to the United States to face federal charges.
- Reverse image searches found the clip on Instagram handle enesfreedom dated 30 July 2024 and on Newsflare and multiple X posts from July 2024 showing Maracay, Venezuela protests.
- The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as a sovereignty violation while interim authorities in Caracas sought the detainees' release amid viral misleading visuals.
- AFP fact-checkers found an AI-generated image flagged by Google's Gemini SynthID and noted unrelated clips circulated, including a TikTok last month showing the UCLA undie run.
40 Articles
40 Articles
AI Deepfakes, Old Images Fuel Misinformation After Maduro's Capture
From AI deepfakes to recycled, outdated images, a surge of visual misinformation has inundated social media platforms after US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a stunning raid on his Caracas home.
A 2024 video of protesters tearing down President Nicolás Maduro’s poster is being shared as visuals from after his capture by US forces
On 03 January 2026, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained by US forces in Caracas and taken to the United States to face federal charges, including alleged narco‑terrorism and drug‑trafficking offences. On 05 January 2026, both pleaded not guilty in a New York federal court. The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as a violation of its sovereignty, while interim authorities in Caracas have sought…
Radio France Internationale
AI, outdated visuals fuel misinformation after Maduro capture
US forces capture Maduro alive, pro-communist camp breaks down; Li Yi cries and slaps himself in the face in anger; The price of the truth: Henan youth forced into exile for filming Xinjiang's high walls.
Fact Check: Old Video Shared As Venezuelans Taking To Streets In Support Of President Nicolas MaduroOld Video Shared As Venezuelans Taking To Streets In Support Of President Nicolas Maduro
Claim A video shows a massive crowd taking to the streets in Venezuela in support of President Nicolás Maduro after he was captured by US forces. Screengrab from X post by @jacksonhinklle Also Read: Old Video Falsely Shared As Celebrations In Venezuela After President Nicolas Maduro’s Capture Fact A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to a Threads post by user @avilaelguerrero, dated November 14, 2025. Sharing the same foo…
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