Unmasking Venezuela Victory Footage and AI Images of Maduro.

Synthetic images claiming to show Venezuela's president detained following his capture by the US have amassed countless of impressions across the internet.

How Fake Pictures of the President Surfaced Within Hours

Initial fabricated synthetic picture apparently displaying him being escorted off a aircraft surfaced shortly after. The graphic was not shared any authoritative US channels; it was instead published on X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.

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

More synthetic images started circulating in the following period, purporting to present more angles of Maduro under guard. Discernible identifying marks on the graphics indicate they were posted by an Instagram account called ultravfx.

AI analysis says these additional images were similarly generated or edited Google AI.

Real Photo Released but Fabrications Continued

Donald Trump posted the initial authentic image of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. Yet following this real photo was published, synthetic pictures persisted online but were altered to show the grey tracksuit seen on Maduro.

Reverse image searches indicate these updated fakes were first posted on the video platform by a digital art account. Again, analysis says these further images were generated or edited generative artificial intelligence.

Important Facts:

• Deepfakes circulated quickly after the announcement of the president's apprehension.
• The initial fabricated picture was shared very quickly on social media.
• Tools like AI-watermark detectors were used to verify the pictures as AI-generated.
• Fake images persisted to circulate and be updated even after the publication of authentic images.
• The source of many fabricated images was linked to social media accounts dedicated to graphic design.