The US government accused Russia of funding a disinformation campaign in Latin America aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and stoking anti-American sentiment.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin does not try to directly influence newspapers, broadcasters and social media in almost all Latin American countries. To achieve this goal, they involved three Russian organizations that had contacts with local journalists and influencers.

This concerns the Social Design Agency (SDA), the Institute for Internet Development and Structure. The European Union imposed sanctions on two of them in July for spreading propaganda against Ukraine.

The main channels Russia uses to spread disinformation are websites Pers in Ecuador, which bills itself as an international news agency for peace and nonviolence and collaborates with 300 newspapers, broadcasters and websites around the world and El Ciudadanolibertarian socialist media outlet in Chile.

The Russian Embassy in Washington has not responded to the allegations.

This is the second time in a short time that America has accused Moscow of using fake news and propaganda in a disinformation campaign. On October 20, the US published a declassified intelligence report, sent to more than 100 countries, stating that Moscow used spies, social media and Russian state media to erode public confidence in the integrity of democratic elections.

Peter van Ammelrooy

Support for Ukraine against Russian invasion is not evident in Latin America, correspondent Joost de Vries previously said: Lula defies the West with his Ukraine peace plan