The arrest of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation in Caracas at the beginning of 2026 sparked an overwhelming wave of information across media and social networks. However, similar to many high-impact geopolitical events, this situation was accompanied by a flood of misinformation: fake images, AI-generated videos, recycled footage from the past, and narratives lacking fact-based verification. This investigation explores how these hoaxes were constructed, why they went viral, and what the true facts are that debunk them.
What Really Happened?
The operation, named Operation Absolute Resolve, involved U.S. forces capturing Maduro and his wife in Caracas before transporting them to New York to face charges of drug trafficking, corruption, and “narcoterrorism.”
In addition to legitimate coverage by global media and news agencies, there was a lack of verified information in the initial hours, quickly filled by speculative and false content—much of which was amplified by social media algorithms prioritizing speed and engagement over accuracy.
How Fakes are Created
AI-Generated Images (Deepfakes)
Following the announcement of Maduro’s arrest, images surfaced depicting the former president supposedly being escorted by DEA agents or dressed in a prison uniform. However, these images were generated or altered using AI and do not originate from official or reliable sources. Tools like SynthID confirmed that some of these images were synthetic.
Similarly, various independent verifications identified fake photographs presented as if they were official snapshots of Maduro’s arrest, featuring uniforms, contexts, or figures that don’t correspond to reality.
Recycled, Out of Context, or Fictional Videos
A significant part of the misinformation circulated via viral videos that supposedly showed celebrations in Caracas, scenes of torture, or events following the arrest. However, verifiers found that:
- Some videos claimed to be recordings of celebrations in Caracas after the arrest actually corresponded to footage from Santiago, Chile in 2022, used out of context.
- Clips showing alleged tortures or detentions were extracted from a Venezuelan film in 2023, not from real events.
- Other materials labeled as 2026 events were actually protests or productions from previous years or scenes generated by AI.
Sensationalist and Conspiratorial Narratives
In addition to images and videos, false narratives spread, such as:
- Claims that a supposed grandson of Maduro participated in the Got Talent program to support the opposition—false: there is no evidence of such participation or that the individual is related to the former president.
- Affirmations that Maduro appeared bald and clean-shaven in prison—debunked by verifiers who confirmed that the circulating images were generated with AI.
Why do these Hoaxes Go Viral?
Vacuum of Official Information
In the initial hours following significant geopolitical events, official information is limited or contradictory. This vacuum creates ideal conditions for false content to spread rapidly.
Algorithms that Prioritize Engagement
Platforms tend to maximize interaction, which favors emotional, sensationalist, or controversial content, even if it’s false.
Public Figures as Catalysts
Even public figures without journalistic verification have shared false images, increasing their reach and giving them a momentary appearance of legitimacy.
Lessons for the Informed Citizen
1. Prioritize verified sources
Check international agencies, established media, and fact-checking platforms before sharing sensationalist material.
2. Verify images and videos with forensic tools
Tools like reverse image search, AI detection, or metadata analysis can reveal if a file is authentic or has been manipulated.
3. Analyze the context, not just the content
A video may be real but not related to the event it claims to represent. Always ask: when, where, and by whom was this created?
The misinformation surrounding Nicolás Maduro’s case is neither accidental nor isolated; it’s a structural phenomenon in the ongoing battle for public attention in digital environments. Fake images created using AI, recycled clips, and sensationalist narratives have competed with verified information for millions of views, highlighting the weaknesses of digital ecosystems in curbing the spread of hoaxes during high-impact geopolitical events.
Combating these phenomena requires media literacy, verification tools, and a critical understanding of how false narratives are constructed and with what intention—whether to politically influence, polarize audiences, or simply profit from the attention economy.