Image of US troops allegedly entering gold rich area of El Callao in Venezuela, The photo was labeled as fake by Venezuelan authorities. Photo: Con el Mazo Dando.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)— A wave of disinformation has recently targeted Venezuela, falsely claiming that US military forces have been deployed to the gold-rich region of El Callao in Bolívar state. Both Venezuelan official sources and international fact-checkers have thoroughly debunked these narratives, identifying them as part of an ongoing psychological and media war aimed at undermining the Chavista government.
The rumor gained traction after right-wing opposition activist Nicmer Evans claimed that a joint contingent of Venezuelan and US military personnel had arrived to “control” the gold mines of El Callao. False reports circulating online asserted that eight large military convoys had seized mining facilities over the weekend.
The Venezuelan government, through the official X account Miraflores al Momento, denied the allegations, branding them a total fabrication designed to incite unrest. Sources close to Orinoco Tribune reported that while law enforcement operations have recently targeted illegal mining mafias that have dominated parts of the region for decades, no presence or deployment of US troops could be verified, aligning with the official refutations.
Video games, AI, and old exercises
The current geopolitical landscape, shaped by the January 3 US military invasion and the illegal kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, has become fertile ground for psychological operations. Disinformation agents have frequently recycled videos out of context to generate widespread panic, fear, and confusion.
A viral video depicting military helicopters launching attacks on an urban area was presented as an ongoing US assault on Caracas. Fact-checkers revealed that the footage was lifted entirely from a war simulation video game, originally posted by a digital profile specializing in military simulation content. Similarly, generative artificial intelligence has been deployed to manufacture fake, humiliating images of the captured Venezuelan leader, alongside repurposed archival photos from the US war in Iraq.
Furthermore, old videos of military exercises have been recirculated as breaking news. A video showcasing elite soldiers rappelling from a helicopter—viewed millions of times as supposed proof of the US invasion of Venezuela—was actually recorded at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in June 2025 during the US Army’s 250th-anniversary maneuvers, which were attended by Donald Trump. While US forces did conduct a bloody operation in January, authorities have repeatedly clarified that no occupying contingents are deployed within Venezuelan territory.
Cabello dismisses rumored talks with Machado
In a parallel disinformation effort, rumors circulated alleging a secret meeting between Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and far-right opposition politician María Corina Machado in Türkiye. Diosdado Cabello, the secretary general of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), dismissed the claims during his weekly press conference on Monday, characterizing them as pure nonsense and “truckloads of bullshit.”
The rumors followed public declarations made by Machado since May 28, initially delivered from Panama, asserting her determination to negotiate a “democratic transition” with Acting President Rodríguez. Cabello emphasized that the extremist opposition is simply fabricating narratives to boost their own morale and create division within the Chavista movement.
“Lies, zero… They are giving themselves hope,” Cabello stated. He reiterated that while the revolutionary government has historically engaged in dialogue when necessary—recalling President Hugo Chávez’s calls for peace following the April 2002 right-wing coup—no negotiations are underway with the fascist sector.
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“Sitting down to talk is not a capitulation, but nothing is on the table with them, and even less so with her,” Cabello concluded, emphasizing that the far right is in no position to dictate conditions to the country. “There has not been a single meeting anywhere in the world between President Delcy and any similar far-right figure.”
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
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