Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured, prompting a surge of AI-generated images, old footage, and manipulated photos across social media platforms. This deluge of misleading content quickly gained traction, raising concerns about misinformation during a pivotal moment in Venezuelan politics.
Following the announcement of Maduro’s capture by former U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, speculation erupted regarding the logistics of the operation and the future of Venezuela. As these discussions unfolded, images claimed to illustrate the capture of Maduro began to circulate widely, amassing millions of views and thousands of likes.
Misleading Images Flood Social Media
One specific image, purportedly showing Maduro after his capture, gained particular attention when it was shared by Vince Lago, the mayor of Coral Gables, Florida. This image was also featured in a joint Instagram post by two conservative accounts that together have over 6 million followers. An analysis conducted by CBS News using Google’s SynthID tool indicated that the photo was likely manipulated or generated by AI technology.
In another instance, a video surfaced claiming to depict military personnel escorting Maduro from an aircraft. This video was posted at approximately 06:30 on Saturday, March 9, 2024, a full 12 hours prior to CBS News confirming that a person in shackles had been seen disembarking the plane carrying Maduro. He was later reported to have arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility in Brooklyn, later that evening.
Other images, such as one showing Maduro with U.S. soldiers inside an aircraft, also circulated. CBS News found that while two different AI detection tools provided inconsistent results regarding its authenticity, the legitimacy of the image could not be confirmed.
On the same day, Trump shared an image captioned “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” further contributing to the media frenzy. Later, the White House Rapid Response account released a video appearing to show Maduro being escorted by federal agents down a hallway.
Old Footage Resurfaces
In addition to AI-generated images, old videos and images from previous events reemerged on social media, misleading viewers about the reactions to Maduro’s capture. One video depicting individuals tearing down a billboard image of Maduro dates back to July 2024. Another video that purported to show a strike in Venezuela was circulating as early as June 2025.
An image showing a man with a sack over his head in the back of a car became a point of speculation among users, with many suggesting it might depict Maduro’s capture. Despite widespread attention—over 30,000 likes and more than 1,000 reposts—users noted that the photo likely does not show Maduro. A Daily Mail article from 2023 indicated that the image actually depicted Saddam Hussein after his capture, although CBS News has not independently verified this information.
With misinformation spreading rapidly, CBS News reached out to both X and Meta regarding their policies on AI-generated images, but no response was received. X’s guidelines specify that it may label posts containing synthetic and manipulated media, while Meta prohibits the use of AI that contributes to misinformation.
As social media continues to play a crucial role in shaping narratives, the capture of Nicolás Maduro has underscored the need for vigilance against misinformation, particularly in times of political upheaval.
