Purportedly AI-Generated Images and Videos Reportedly Spread Misinformation About Nicolás Maduro's Capture on X
Following the January 2026 U.S. raid and arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, purportedly AI-generated images and videos circulated widely on platforms including X, reportedly depicting Maduro in fabricated scenarios. NewsGuard identified at least seven manipulated or synthetic visuals reaching over 14 million views, including AI-generated photos detected via Google Gemini's SynthID watermark.
- Date it happened
- 2026-01-03
- Organisation involved
- Unknown social media account operators, Information manipulation actors
- Product, system or model
- Social media platforms, Google Gemini, xAI Grok, Image generation technology, Deepfake technology
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