US EditionHow AI-generated images contributed to the disinformation about Maduro's capture
More than 14 million views of AI-generated images and videos falsely showing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture circulated on social media, complicating public understanding.
- On the night of Friday, January 2, US special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and AI-generated images claiming to show their capture spread on January 3–4, 2026.
- High-Profile resharing followed, with US President Donald Trump posting an image on January 3, 2026, X owner Elon Musk resharing a debunked video, and the White House's X account retweeting it.
- Google's analysis shows Google's Nano Banana Pro generated many images, with SynthID and Google Lens revealing invisible watermarks and experts flagging anomalies like mismatched OCP and UCP camo and @ultravfx artist tags.
- The rapid spread resulted in 7 pieces claiming the operation garnering more than 14.1 million views on X, sowing confusion amid pro- and anti-Maduro protesters at the hearing.
- The next court date is set for March 17, and CBS and Agence France-Presse used SynthID checks amid Newsguard warnings about AI visuals.
13 Articles
13 Articles
It's early Saturday morning when the news from Venezuela arrives in Aruba. Nicolás Maduro, the president of the country visible from the Aruban coast on a clear day, has been kidnapped. Lights come on in homes, phones vibrate, and voices echo through the rooms. For many Venezuelans in Aruba, the moment feels surreal. Some are still asleep when they are awakened by partners or family members. Others see it on social media and initially think it's…
Staging: The first images of Nicolás Maduro's capture reminded some of those of the captured Saddam Hussein or Noriega. It also turned out…
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Photography has been circulating since January 2025 and is unrelated to recent events in Venezuela. Hola Bolivia, Pica el Dato and La Llamita gustasa accounts, Facebook pages and TikTok, shared a photograph of social organizations related to Evo Morales, where they claim that these people spoke after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and decided to reinforce the security of the former Bolivian president in Chapare. However, this content is misleadin…
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Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Right
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