Fake authors, fake stories: Inside the Russian campaign to influence Argentina's election
Posted by ThatAmazingHorse@reddit | anime_titties | View on Reddit | 52 comments
kwonza@reddit
Russian hereš«¤
Iām sorry but that one you canāt blame on us. Argentina is the way that they are and we canāt do anything about it. Stop blaming your shit on us.
also stop blaming shit on us in general. Muchas grasias, ŠæŠ¾Š¶Š°Š»ŃŠ¹ŃŃŠ° šš»
sakezaf123@reddit
Why not? Your tax dollars are literally funding media outlets and think tanks manufacturing bullshit statistics to keep corrupt shits in power. And you guys really don't seem to mind, in fact most of you seem to actively support it.
K thx bye..
_Antitese@reddit
lmao. The irony
sakezaf123@reddit
Irony, or multiple imperialist powers doing the same thing?
SpontaneousFlame@reddit
You tell them! This would never happen in the western world...
sakezaf123@reddit
Wow what about this beilliant whataboutism. Guess what buddy, I despise that too!
Or are you looking to set a precedent that every nation should be allowed to start wars on their neighbours, influence elections with misinformation and bribery, and become a nationalist dictatorship judt because "Russia did it as well"! Then things will be really great I'm sure!
loggy_sci@reddit
Just the local Russian shills doing their thing
Lifekraft@reddit
I dont think the news is that argentinia is blaming russia for its problem. There is just a report of several fake journalist making article and a special agency paying real journalist for pro russian propaganda. And "the agency" , the organism behind this, is russian. Originally managed by Wagner but now by SVR. The total amount was 280k dollar, so pretty small. Still shitty but nothing US or China isnt doing either.
shieeet@reddit
Oh, China is doing this as well? Where?
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
Exactly!
travistravis@reddit
I mean there's likely SOME world conflict that could conceivably be blamed squarely on Russian actions. Not saying this is one of those, but I'm sure maybe if we look somewhere closer, maybe like Ukraine or something...
Advanced-Net-8119@reddit
no, everything is your fault.
AprilVampire277@reddit
Argenchinese here, I love how the nation never recovered itself from the damage done by US Plan CĆ³ndor coordinated dictatorships and war they did, but now they voted an ancap president every problem of the nation is Russia fault or maybe China
JLZ13@reddit
The local justification for the coup related to the condor plan.... Was already an economic failure.
"Rodrigazo" is still one of the most infamous crises of Argentina.
nachtengelsp@reddit
Sorry, but saying that are russian actors actively doing propaganda in south america (at least in Brazil and now in Argentina) is nothing but laughable. Feels like a random european initiative to drag us somehow into the Russian-Ukrainian war.\ \ If there are any russians doing anti-western or any other type of propaganda around here, they're damn bad and incompetent at their job. Because actually the average brazilian is already busy sucking Trump's balls... At least half of the entire population is doing it.\ \ But if you tell me they're doing MAGA propaganda, I'll believe it... What I doubt, now reading in that article about the anti-Milei propaganda
Czart@reddit
vs
Yes, those damn europeans... from Africa...
nachtengelsp@reddit
"and shared with a consortium of investigative newsrooms including openDemocracy, Dossier Center, iStories, All Eyes on Wagner, and Forbidden Stories."\ \ Also... That's not the first time we're hearing those stories about the Kremlin making propaganda in the south america. I know you're worried about your neighbours, but we can't do shit about a continent that never gets their shit together since forever. Also, we were colonized enough to deal with colonizers bs
Czart@reddit
Africans find something, share it with others and you go "damn europeans, also we were colonised wah wah". This is just sad.
nachtengelsp@reddit
Come on, you're just ignoring what I'm saying. Just like I said, The Continent isn't the only and the first ones to say that russians are doing propaganda in south america. That's my point, they are not.... And even if they are, they're not getting anywhere near all the US propaganda that are solid and already heavly established here (they call us their "backyard" after all). Bolsonaro, Milei, Rodrigo Paz, Kast... All of them leans to Trump.
The russians doesn't have that much of a influence here, regardless of what media tries to draw. Also, AFP, Reuters, RFI and Sueddeutsche backs up The Continent anyway...
Czart@reddit
And again, Africans find some info about "the thing that totally isn't happening!" and you start complaining about europeans and colonisation for some reason. I'm sorry to inform you but moskals you love so much, are in fact, assholes.
Libsoc_guitar_boi@reddit
you're aware that russia is also european and did colonisation, right?
Czart@reddit
I think you should tell that to your buddy over there.
ChucklesInDarwinism@reddit
And mostly that user is a descendant from the colonisers, probably not native.
Palpitation-Itchy@reddit
What I love about this country is that it's some ping pong of accusations all the time. Adorni investigated for corruption -> instant new scandal involving Russia. It's like a carefully orchestrated dance between the fake left (kirchnerism) and the fake liberalism (milei). Before it was the incompetent right (macri), or the dinosaur right (radicals)
Moikanyoloko@reddit
Before entering the actual claim:
I'm honestly not familiar with these, specially the original source (which is reasonable, since its an African news outlet), so I gotta ask, does anyone here have any familiarity with them?
Anyway:
The article claims that this is a significant amount of money, but honestly? It seems way too little for en effective propaganda campaign - which makes sense, the campaign evidently didn't work and Milei's supporters won in 2025.
Also, articles "The Russian files also included ideas for other fake news stories to inflame tensions between Chile and Argentina ā which were on the verge of a war in 1978" seems a bit of a stretch for the Russians to achieve anything, 1978 was nearly 50 years ago and the conflict was in a context of increasingly Argentine military adventurism which only ended with the Falklands war and the downfall of the Argentine junta.
Honestly, it seems like a minor project for the Russians, Milei himself probably received far greater propaganda support from other far-right foundations, NGOs and agencies, to say the least of the public financial support.
JLZ13@reddit
Miles had barely any money during campaigns. There was no Milei propaganda in almost half of the country in the presidential elections.
It may seem small but it had a huge impact in the media, not as a news, but some of the involved journalists and news media erase fake articles and "Diario con vos", the biggest recipient of money, shut down this month.
Revlar@reddit
Complete bullshit, but not unexpected from a Milei supporter.
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
Source?
Revlar@reddit
The group Fuerzas del Cielo which is his primary counter-protest arm has figures like Gordo Dan in central roles and they get paid that way. We will find out how much money has been frittered away in this kind of propaganda effort when the government is out of power and no longer capable of blocking efforts to investigate money streams.
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
I'm asking for any source that can back what you said, but you can't provide anything like that, right?
So, we can label your comment as speculation and/or some kind of conspiracy theory? š¤
Revlar@reddit
Santiago Caputo, who is at the center of the government's media strategy literally controls the group by all accounts.
Juan Pablo Carreira (alias "Juan Doe") from this group now serves as Director de Comunicaciones Digitales in the executive, directly under Milei.
AgustĆn Romo from the same group went on to become a representative of the party in congress.
Nahuel Sotelo, same group, has a role in foreign affairs in the government now.
Santiago Santurio, official member of the party and representative in congress, is part of the group in all but name.
And of course Daniel Parisini, el Gordo Dan.
If you don't see how all these men serve the party and are paid to create propaganda, it's because you are a propagandist yourself.
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
I'm not the one making claims here, you are. The burden of proof is on you, not me.
So far you haven't provided any sources, just assertions and āwe all knowā statements. That is not evidence.
If you can't back it up, then it's fair to treat it as speculation or conspiracy theory.
And calling me a propagandist is just a strawman. Iām asking for sources, nothing more.
If you have credible evidence, share it. Otherwise, there's nothing to discuss.
Revlar@reddit
I am making demonstrable claims, you just want me to dig up what? Private payment documents? Where am I supposed to get those if there are no depositions because there are no prosecutions because they control the government?
It's like asking for someone to produce proof Trump's family is enriching itself off of exploiting the fact Trump can manipulate the stock market with his speeches and tweets. It's obvious to everyone, but you can't get a live total of their net worth while they control every part of the government capable of getting that information and making it public.
The best you can do is see what the journalists are saying, and you dismiss the word of all journalists using stories like this one and all the other bs excuses you've been taught by the cult.
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
You are making claims without providing any sources. Saying "everybody knows" isn't a valid source.
I'm being respectful, and I expect the same from you. This isn't personal, so please don't treat it that way.
Take a moment, clear your head, and when you come back, bring sources to support your claims.
Thanks!
Revlar@reddit
All of these people are on the government's pay roll. That they run an organization that runs propaganda for the government while pretending it's independent should be instant alarm bells, but for some reason you can't see that.
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
Youāre saying that government employees take part in a youth organization thatās openly connected to the government. I donāt understand why that should be alarming. Political organizations exist all over the world, especially in our country.
About the controversies you mentioned, did you notice that 80% of the sources cited in those Wikipedia articles come from the same outlets that were criticized in the article I shared? The other 20% are personal blogs, minor outlets, or partisan tabloids... that should be instant alarm bells, but for some reason you can't see that.
Revlar@reddit
ThatAmazingHorse@reddit (OP)
O sea que no tenƩs fuentes, ta bien loco. Abrazo.
JLZ13@reddit
We have to acknowledge nobody is saying Milei didn't spend money on the campaign.
https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/viajes-asesores-y-un-saldo-deficitario-las-dudas-que-dejo-el-informe-del-financiamiento-de-la-nid09022024/
But it was half the money other candidates spent.
https://www.infobae.com/politica/2023/08/29/paso-2023-javier-milei-gano-en-seis-de-las-once-provincias-que-nunca-visito-este-ano/
Milei didn't step on provinces he won, he didn't have candidate for senator in those provinces
https://tn.com.ar/politica/2024/02/20/javier-milei-y-sergio-massa-informaron-como-financiaron-y-cuanto-gastaron-para-el-balotaje/
And Milei was literally finance by his opponent in the presidential elections.
These are echo chambers, and it impacts outside milei voters is minimal.
Revlar@reddit
Sure, the money he spent through the channels that are normally measured was half the amount. The amount of money spent in social media campaigns and through backchannels could not be measured because there is no way to measure it. You really think the guy received no support? We recently found out he received support from Fred Machado throughout his whole political career, but somehow that doesn't bother you.
The fact that you parrot the talking points of those echo chambers shows their reach.
JLZ13@reddit
Wasn't Milei.
Just speculation.
Revlar@reddit
Milei himself received support from Fred Machado, Espert was just the person outed most publicly. Fred Machado has deep ties to LLA and has been involved with the party since its founding.
JLZ13@reddit
May I asked.... What is the BS part?
Revlar@reddit
I edited my comment, go read.
nitonitonii@reddit
His name was fucking everywhere dude, what do you mean? He was invited to every TV and radio show. News paper named him every day. Do you think campaign is posters on the street? lol no, it's paying media, which is often expensive
Lifekraft@reddit
Forbidden stories are legit. They are already a consortium of several european journalist and spoke about pegasus and cambridge analytica before everyone else.
Moikanyoloko@reddit
Thank you. Honestly, this seems credible, just not a particularly big piece of news imo.
BendicantMias@reddit
Argentina isn't even interested in fighting Chile lol, so why bother? Anyone interested in inflaming Argentina would be much better served focusing on the Falkland islands, which Argentina still claims and counts as its own on all its maps. Also another plus is that the Falklands are held by a western alliance member - the UK - so it targets the enemy, rather than another LA nation.
nitonitonii@reddit
Normally these campaigns rely on subversion, they just grab any issue the common folk is saying, and amplify it, exagerate it, create fake news that support that narrative, to divide the population and create chaos basically, but not really supporting any side of the issue (racism, refugees, antisemitism, nationalism, etc)
BendicantMias@reddit
Okay, but you'll still find a lot more of that to amplify wrt the Falklands. That isn't some background grumbling some people like saying, it's widespread and open state policy even. Even Argentinian maps show the Falklands as theirs, even though they don't control it. They have their own name for it too, the Islas Malvinas, and it's even listed in their Constitution as being theirs.
nitonitonii@reddit
Believe it or not, this is the closely related to the rivarly between Argentina and Chile. Chile sided with the UK at the time. If you ask a "chilean hater" why he hates them, he will bring Malvinas for sure
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