Russia is actively funding an expansive disinformation campaign to advance its interests in Latin America, as stated by the U.S. State Department in a statement released on Nov. 7.
According to the State Department, the Kremlin collaborated with media organizations in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and others to undermine support for Ukraine.
The U.S. identified three Russian companies – the Social Design Agency (SDA), the Institute for Internet Development, and Structura – as the key entities behind Moscow’s disinformation efforts. These firms have a history of spreading disinformation and propaganda to advance Russia’s foreign influence objectives.
The report also highlighted that the media landscape in Latin America provided an enabling environment for Russia to disseminate pro-Kremlin narratives as if they were native to local discourse.
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Leading the disinformation campaign, the three Russian companies established editorial teams in Latin America, with content from Russia being sent to the local teams for editing and publication.
The State Department noted that Russia has become adept at concealing its influence through a vast network of media proxies and influencers. Collaboration with Spanish and Portuguese-language outlets, as well as the use of aliases, helped mask Russia’s role in shaping and spreading specific narratives.
Some of the content pushed by Russia aimed to stoke anti-U.S. and anti-NATO sentiment, while others sought to justify the war against Ukraine.
Russia’s objective was to persuade Latin American audiences that “the war against Ukraine is just and that they can unite with Russia to defeat neocolonialism,” the report revealed.
Related: Opinion: Russian disinformation wields influence on the battlefield
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