Argentina: AI-generated Macri deepfake video in 2025 election campaign
An AI-generated deepfake video simulating former Argentine president Mauricio Macri withdrawing PRO party support was circulated during the 2025 legislative elections. The PRO party filed electoral fraud complaints, and the Electoral Tribunal ordered the video's removal from social media. The Argentine government denied direct involvement in distributing the content.
What happened
An artificial intelligence-generated video circulated during Argentina's 2025 legislative elections in Buenos Aires, in which ex-president Mauricio Macri appeared to withdraw his party PRO's support and endorse presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni instead.
The PRO party filed a complaint with electoral authorities alleging fraudulent electoral interference. The Tribunal Electoral de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires ordered removal of posts containing the video from social media platform X.
Reported impact
The deepfake video was designed to confuse voters and damage the PRO party's electoral prospects during legislative elections.
Index analysis
Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos stated that the use of artificial intelligence to create the video was improper and should not occur during electoral periods. He denied that official government accounts had distributed the video, though he acknowledged he could not verify whether associated accounts had shared it.
Governance controls
The Electoral Tribunal ordered deletion of the manipulated video from social platforms. Macri's party pursued judicial complaints to investigate the video's origin.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.