Claims without evidence that there were electoral frauds in the last elections and false accusations to the Antifa group of participating in the assault on the Capitol on January 6: these are some examples of the recent spread of “disinformation and conspiracy theories” by some Spanish-language media in Florida targeting the Hispanic community and denounced by Latino leaders of progressive groups in a letter following the violent events in Washington DC
Facing the situation they describe, the signatories ask "editors and producers" of the programs they refer to
"check the content to make sure their reporters are publishing factual information
.
"
"The Spanish-language media should be a lifeline for Spanish-speaking audiences who need to understand the issues that affect them," say the authors of the letter.
“However, throughout the 2020 cycle, many Spanish-language media
allowed the spread of erroneous and dangerous information
,” the text adds, “even now, many are blaming Antifa and Black Lives Matter activists for the violence in Washington DC without confirmed evidence ”.
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One of those cases occurred on the same day as the assault on the Capitol when Agustin Acosta, presenter on a radio station called Actualidad 1040AM, upheld the false theory that "thousands of dead voted, thousands of prisoners in jails voted, thousands of people who were not citizens of the United States voted ”in the elections last November.
Democrat Joe Biden's victory was confirmed by the Electoral College and validated by Congress.
Claims of alleged fraud similar to Acosta's filed by allies of the president, Donald Trump, were rejected multiple times in several courts of the country.
Supporters of the president who
he incited to march to the Capitol last week violently stormed the seat of the federal legislature
while legislators were gathered to confirm that electoral result, blocking the session for hours.
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Lucy Pereda, presenter on WWFE's La Poderosa 670 AM, said that day that there were "buses full of Antifa people" in the assault, the Miami Herald reported.
"They started," he accused.
But there is no proof that this happened: in fact there is proof that it did not.
Less than a month earlier, Lourdes D 'Kendall of the WAQI-AM broadcaster
denied that there are supporters of the president, Donald Trump, who come to protests on his behalf armed
.
“At what point were assault weapons seen?” He snapped at a listener who claimed otherwise.
Armed individuals portrayed as Trump supporters have seen each other repeatedly throughout 2020.
“We call on the Spanish-language media to maintain a higher level of journalistic standards,” asked progressive Latino leaders who denounced the dissemination of disinformation in some media.
They also requested that
"immediately stop amplifying the voices that spread white nationalist ideology, anti-black and extremism that undermines our democracy
.
"
The rally of supporters of President Donald Trump in Washington on January 6, 2021, just before the assault on the Capitol.
(AP Photo / John Minchillo) AP
The spread of misinformation in Spanish among Latinos is not new.
Months before the elections, conspiracy theories also intensified on social media and in WhatsApp groups used by members of the Hispanic community.
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Some of those theories revolve around QAnon, whose followers, many of whom define themselves as Trump supporters,
believe that a sect of Satan-worshiping pedophiles, which includes politicians, journalists and celebrities, controls the government from the "deep state." .
One channel where the spread of misinformation of this type has grown recently is the messaging app Telegram, according to our sister network NBC News.
"The danger with these groups, especially for Spanish-speaking communities, is that they allow false and misleading content to spread quickly and without access to credible sources," said Flavia Colangelo, a researcher at GQR, a research firm. who advises campaigns on disinformation.
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"It becomes
a louder echo chamber
because when you opt for these chat groups, you are constantly receiving messages, audios, videos and links from other users, sometimes thousands a day," he added.
Signatories of the letter against media disinformation
fear that this circulation of fake news could fuel violent actions
: “Just as the rhetoric that incorporated attacks on immigrants resulted in deadly domestic terrorism in El Paso, the rhetoric that incited the violence in DC this week must end ”, they assured.
“Our civic discourse must not seek to amplify voices of hatred that lead to violent attempts to undermine the will of the people.
Instead, it should promote a deeper analysis, focusing on voices that are often ignored or forgotten, ”they added.
With information from
NBC News
and the journalist from this network
Carmen Sesin
, and from
El Nuevo Herald
.