Debunking Venezuela Celebration Footage and AI-Generated Pictures of Maduro.

Synthetic images purporting to show Nicolás Maduro under arrest after his apprehension by the US have amassed countless of views online.

How Fake Pictures of the President Appeared Within Hours

Initial inauthentic AI image apparently showing him being escorted off a aircraft circulated shortly after. The picture was unpublished by any official American sources; it was instead posted on the platform X by an profile purporting to be an “AI video art enthusiast”.

Our analysis used Google’s SynthID, determining the image was created or altered with generative AI.

Additional synthetic pictures began to spread in the subsequent period, seemingly depicting additional perspectives of Maduro detained. Visible identifying marks on these images reveal they originated from an Instagram account called ultravfx.

AI analysis says these additional pictures were also created or altered generative models.

Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Persisted

The former US president posted the genuine photograph of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. But even after the authentic image was published, synthetic images persisted online but were updated to incorporate the gray sweatsuit worn by Maduro.

Reverse image searches reveal these altered fabrications were originally uploaded on TikTok by a graphic design account. Similarly, SynthID found the new graphics were produced with generative artificial intelligence.

Main Takeaways:

• Deepfakes gained traction following the events of Maduro's capture.
• The initial fabricated image appeared on the same day on social media.
• Detection software like Google’s SynthID were used to verify the pictures as inauthentic.
• Fake images continued to spread and be updated even after the release of real images.
• The source of several fabricated images was linked to specific online profiles dedicated to AI art.