U.S. Military Operation Leads to Arrest of Nicolás Maduro
In January 2026, the United States executed a decisive military operation, culminating in the apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at his residence in Caracas.
A video circulating on social media platforms within Ethiopia claims to depict Maduro being escorted by U.S. security personnel shortly after his capture.
Investigation reveals that the video is synthesized through artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
The post, which gained traction on Facebook on January 3, 2026, is inscribed in Afaan Oromoo, a prominent language spoken in Ethiopia.
The text asserts, “America has captured the Venezuelan President.”
Screenshot of the misleading post, documented on January 6, 2026
The contentious video spans six seconds, illustrating Maduro with his hands purportedly shackled behind his back, while uniformed officers escort him from an aircraft.
Notably, the letters “DEA” are discernible on the uniforms of the officers involved.
The “DEA” refers to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a U.S. federal agency tasked with combating drug-related crimes.
A contingent of approximately 200 U.S. military personnel participated in the operation, resulting in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas compound on January 3, 2026. They were subsequently transported to the United States, facing accusations of orchestrating a narcotics trafficking syndicate.
On January 5, 2026, Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking and additional offenses during a court appearance in New York.
Nonetheless, the video portraying Maduro’s escort by security forces has been exposed as an AI-generated fabrication.
Examining the AI-Generated Footage
Analysis conducted by AFP Fact Check revealed several discrepancies within the clip.
While Maduro is seen with his hands restrained, his movements betray a lack of significant physical confinement, raising questions about the authenticity of the depiction.
Further examination shows that the heads of the officers in the background exhibit unnatural distortions, a typical characteristic of AI-manipulated visuals.
A comparison between the AI-created footage and an official video released by CNN, which captured Maduro’s arrival in New York at night, reveals discernible contrasts despite the latter’s darker and grainier quality.
For instance, the CNN footage displays a substantial crowd awaiting Maduro’s descent from the aircraft, whereas the AI-generated clip features merely four officers.
Contrasting screenshots from CNN’s footage and the AI-generated clip taken on January 12, 2026
Additionally, in the authentic video, Maduro is observed walking slowly, clad in a grey or light blue garment. Conversely, the AI rendition shows him with a brisk gait, dressed in a black cardigan and a collared white shirt.
Moreover, the aircraft depicted in the genuine footage is considerably larger, showcasing extended stairs, in contrast to the smaller plane presented in the AI version.
Screenshot of CNN’s video revealing the larger stairs, recorded on January 13, 2026
To carry out this verification, AFP Fact Check utilized InVID-WeVerify to execute reverse image searches on pivotal frames extracted from the AI-generated video.
The findings disclosed numerous iterations of the AI-produced footage, with one image debunked by AFP Fact Check’s Spanish/Arabic service.
Screenshot displaying search results revealing various AI-generated video iterations, captured on January 6, 2026
However, efforts to ascertain the genesis of the contested video proved futile.
Source link: Malaysia.news.yahoo.com.
