Debunking Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created images claiming to depict Venezuela's president under arrest after his apprehension by the US have amassed countless of views on social media.
How Fake Pictures of the President Emerged Soon After
The first fake synthetic picture apparently displaying him led off a aircraft circulated within hours. This image was not shared any authoritative government accounts; rather, it was uploaded on the platform X by an account describing itself as an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
We’ve checked Google’s SynthID, confirming the image was created or altered with AI tools.
Further synthetic pictures were disseminated in the ensuing hours, appearing to show additional perspectives of the leader in custody. Discernible identifying marks on these pictures indicate they came from an Instagram account named ultravfx.
The detection tool indicates all of these images were likewise created or altered generative models.
Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Continued
Donald Trump released the initial authentic image of Maduro restrained aboard the US Navy ship on that morning. Yet following the authentic image was made public, AI-generated pictures persisted online but were updated to include the grey tracksuit worn by Maduro.
Digital forensics indicate these altered fabrications were originally uploaded on TikTok by a digital art account. Similarly, analysis found these further images were generated or edited AI tools.
Important Facts:
- Synthetic media spread rapidly following the announcement of Maduro's capture.
- The initial fabricated picture was shared very quickly on social media.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID helped to verify the pictures as inauthentic.
- Fabrications continued to spread and evolve even after the release of real images.
- The source of many fakes was linked to social media accounts dedicated to AI art.
