Maduro's regime denies the authenticity of the video showing the attack on a drug-laden boat: What do they say about the footage?

Amid escalating tension in the Caribbean, the Venezuelan government has accused the United States of falsifying with artificial intelligence the video of a military attack against a boat allegedly loaded with drugs.

The recording was released by President Donald Trump as evidence of an operation that, according to him, eliminated eleven members of the Tren de Aragua.

Caracas denies any connection to the incident and claims it is a technological manipulation to justify a covert aggression.

An attack, a video, and an unprecedented accusation

This Tuesday, President Trump posted on his Truth Social platform a video attributed to the U.S. Southern Command.

The images show a speedboat in the open sea that, after being monitored for a few seconds, is destroyed by the impact of a missile.

According to Trump, it was a surgical operation against a vessel of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, which was transporting drugs to U.S. territory.

The result: eleven suspected narcoterrorists eliminated in the Caribbean waters.

Shortly before, the Pentagon had confirmed the attack on an international news agency, stating that it was an operation carried out “in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel that had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by narco-terrorists.”

The Secretary of State himself, Marco Rubio, echoed this version on his official social media.

However, from Caracas, the reaction has been immediate… and entirely contrary.

Freddy Ñáñez accuses Marco Rubio and turns to Gemini

Although President Nicolás Maduro avoided directly mentioning the attack in his initial public speeches, the official response from the chavismo was taken up by the Minister of Communication, Freddy Ñáñez, who made severe accusations through his Telegram. channel.

“It seems that Marco Rubio continues to lie to his president: after putting him in a dead end, he now provides a so-called 'evidence' in the form of an AI video (as verified)”, wrote Ñáñez, while accompanying his message with a screenshot of an alleged response provided by Gemini, Google's artificial intelligence platform.

In his post, the minister also included the question directed at the AI: “What does Gemini say about this video?”, to which -according to the shared image- the AI responded:

"According to the provided video, it is very likely that it was created using artificial intelligence (AI)."

While I cannot confirm with certainty the exact tools used, several elements suggest that it was generated by AI:

The video shows a ship being attacked and then exploding in a way that resembles a simplified animation, almost cartoonish, rather than a realistic depiction of an explosion.

The video contains artifacts of movement and a lack of realistic detail, which is common in AI-generated videos. The water, in particular, appears very stylized and unnatural.

The content of the video appears to be composed of different elements, including the text 'UNRATED' and a watermark of unknown origin. These elements, along with the lack of detail, are common in AI-generated content.

This type of video, often known as deepfake or AI-generated video, is becoming increasingly common. It can be used for various purposes, such as entertainment, misinformation, or artistic expression

With this message, Ñáñez directly targeted Rubio as the alleged mastermind behind the escalation: “Enough already, Marco Rubio, with encouraging war and trying to stain President Donald Trump's hands with blood. Venezuela is not a threat.”

The Narrative of Chavismo: War, Oil, and an International Conspiracy

Nicolás Maduro has ramped up his rhetoric against the United States in recent days, although he has chosen to focus his criticisms on an alleged broader conspiracy that includes greed for Venezuela's natural resources, unfounded accusations of drug trafficking, and military aggression disguised as a drug war.

"The oil does not belong to Maduro, and even less to the Yankees; it belongs to you, the people of Venezuela," the president stated in a nationwide broadcast.

He assured that the United States "is coming for the natural resources," not for drug trafficking, and that it seeks "to eliminate the liberating project of Simón Bolívar at its root."

The U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean - which includes eight warships, 1,200 missiles, and a nuclear submarine - has been described by Maduro as “the greatest threat the region has faced in a hundred years”, comparing it to the missile crisis of 1962.

In light of this situation, it was warned that Venezuela is ready to defend itself: "If Venezuela were to be attacked, we would immediately enter a period of armed struggle [...] and we would constitutionally declare the Republic in arms."

The context: Terrorist designations and covert operations

The verbal and military escalation occurs at a time of rising tension between Washington and Caracas. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has intensified its pressure on the Venezuelan regime. Among other measures:

Designated the Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, a criminal gang of Venezuelan origin with a presence in several countries in Latin America.

It also included the Cartel of the Suns in the list of criminal organizations, allegedly led by high-ranking officials of the Venezuelan government, including Maduro himself.

He has increased the reward for the capture of Maduro and has launched a large-scale military operation in the Caribbean to intercept vessels linked to drug trafficking.

From Venezuela, more than 15,000 troops were sent to the border with Colombia in an alleged operation against mafias, and figures regarding drug seizures have been presented as proof of their "commitment against drug trafficking."

The central argument of chavismo is that the United States is "creating a narrative" to justify a regime change.

The accusation of using artificial intelligence to simulate the attack represents a new development in the exchanges between the two governments, and raises a delicate debate about the veracity of digital evidence in times of hybrid warfare.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Conflict between the United States and Venezuela