Exposing Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI Images of Maduro.

Computer-created pictures claiming to depict Nicolás Maduro under arrest following his apprehension by the US have gained many millions of views across the internet.

How Fake Pictures of the President Appeared Rapidly

Initial fake AI image apparently displaying him taken off a aircraft circulated within hours. This image was not shared any official US channels; rather, it was uploaded on X by an account describing itself as an “AI video art enthusiast”.

Verification involved the SynthID tool, determining the picture was produced or modified with Google AI.

More AI-generated images started circulating in the subsequent period, seemingly depicting more angles of the leader in custody. Visible logos on the graphics indicate they were posted by an Instagram account called ultravfx.

The detection tool confirms the further images were also generated or edited Google AI.

Real Photo Posted but Fakes Continued

Donald Trump released the first real photo of Nicolás Maduro restrained aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. But even after this real photo was made public, AI-generated pictures continued to spread but were modified to show the grey athletic wear worn by Maduro.

Reverse image searches show these altered fabrications were first posted on TikTok by a digital art profile. Similarly, the AI-watermark detector confirms the new graphics were generated or edited AI tools.

Main Takeaways:

• Synthetic media circulated quickly after the announcement of the president's apprehension.
• The first fake picture was shared very quickly on social media.
• Detection software like AI-watermark detectors were used to identify the pictures as inauthentic.
• Fabrications persisted to spread and evolve despite the publication of authentic images.
• The origin of several fabricated images was traced to specific online profiles focused on graphic design.