VenezuelaS Maduro Government Amplifies Propaganda on X Despite Platform Blockade
CARACAS, Venezuela – Even as Venezuela’s government blocks access too the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for millions of citizens, a covert state-sponsored propaganda operation is actively leveraging the platform to disseminate pro-Maduro narratives, according to a new investigation. The operation, coordinated through a government request and led by officials like Dayra Rivas, aims to control data and discredit critics, experts say.
The investigation, detailed by el Nacional, reveals a elegant network designed to amplify messages and reinterpret news events in favor of the ruling Chavismo movement. Tactics include the coordinated use of propaganda hashtags – such as #VolkerViolaDDHH, targeting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk – and campaigns to discredit Venezuelan activists and journalists.
Central to the operation is Siscom, an official application of the Ministry of Popular Power for Communication and Information (Mippci). El Nacional reports Siscom distributes content and dissemination manuals to thousands of users, and is even available on the Google Play Store.
Screenshots from Telegram groups show Rivas, a key figure in the operation, issuing directives to followers, including commands like “Maximum dissemination. Immediately, please,” and providing specific guidance on framing news, ranging from military videos to international events like a lady Gaga concert in Brazil. The operation frequently directs users to content on Dracarys’ X account and Telegram channel.
Experts warn this strategy represents a deliberate attempt at information control. “This combination of blocking and state propaganda sets up a scenario of selective censorship and information control,” the report states.
Valentina Ballesta, Deputy Director of Research for the americas at Amnesty International, condemned the X blockade as “an attack on freedom of expression and the right to receive information.” She further noted the hypocrisy of state officials continuing to utilize the platform for political purposes, “making the lack of legitimacy of the measure even more evident.”
Andrés Azpúrua, director of the digital observatory VE Sin Filtro, highlighted the government’s “dual strategy: it restricts access to citizens while using the same tools to position its narrative.”
Espacio Público, a Venezuelan NGO, described the situation as a “structural contradiction,” stating, “It is indeed a paradox to arbitrarily prevent access to millions of users and, simultaneously occurring, allocate public resources for a digital operation aimed at criminalizing critics and opponents.”
The investigation concludes that the Maduro government hasn’t abandoned X, but has rather transformed it into a ”controlled and strategic field,” exploiting the blockade to amplify its message without opposition, utilizing public funds and a sophisticated digital propaganda infrastructure.