A report presented this Tuesday (31) by the Digital News Association (DNA) revealed that the Russian regime trained more than a thousand content creators, journalists and influencers to work on spreading disinformation in Latin American countries.
According to investigative journalist Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, coordinator of the entity’s Russian Propaganda Alert, these communicators were trained by the Russian state media outlet RT in Spanish and operate in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
According to the report, this network joins around 200 Hispanic content creators who would be based in Russia with the function of producing and distributing material aimed at the Latin American public.
According to Shapiro, the digital structure linked to Russia has a wide reach on social media. Accounts associated with RT in Spanish and to Sputnik Radio they have more than 18 million followers on Facebook and more than 6 million on YouTube. Furthermore, the investigation identified at least 16 websites considered fake, which simulate traditional press outlets to expand the dissemination of content.
The investigation published this Tuesday was carried out using artificial intelligence tools capable of monitoring content in Spanish with characteristics associated with the media apparatus sponsored by the Russian State.
Experts point out that the Russian strategy involves adapting narratives to the political context of each country. “They adapt to the governments’ ideology to sow divisions,” said Gelet Martínez, founder of ADN Cuba and ADN América.
According to Martínez, the central objective of these actions is “to polarize, generate distrust in institutions and fragment societies”.
