Defense Attorney Claims AI Manipulation of Coup Announcement Video
A defense attorney for former Peruvian president Pedro Castillo alleged during trial on 29 May 2025 that video evidence of Castillo announcing the dissolution of Congress may have been artificially manipulated. The defense sought expert analysis to verify the video's authenticity, arguing that current AI technology could create convincing deepfakes.
What happened
During a judicial hearing on 29 May 2025 in the trial of former Peruvian president Pedro Castillo for an attempted coup on 7 December 2022, his defense attorney Ricardo Hernández Medina alleged that video evidence showing Castillo announcing the dissolution of Congress may have been manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Hernández stated that no expert analysis demonstrates the voice and image in the video authentically belong to Castillo, and that the defense has not recognized either the voice or image as Castillo's. He suggested the video could feature an actor instead of Castillo and argued that with current AI technology, 'everything can be modified.'
Reported impact
The defense seeks to invalidate what prosecutors and the accusation consider central evidence in the case, which documents Castillo's attempt to dissolve Congress and establish an exceptional government.
Index analysis
The defense requested anthropometric, phonetic, and anthropological expert analysis to verify the identity of the video's subject. The tribunal will evaluate in coming sessions whether to authorize the requested expert examinations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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