False images circulate online after Maduro's arrest. See real photos - STORY JRNL

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Home Unlabelled False images circulate online after Maduro's arrest. See real photos

False images circulate online after Maduro's arrest. See real photos

False images circulate online after Maduro's arrest. See real photos

AI-generated images and out-of-context visuals are circulating on social media followingU.S. forces' captureof Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, fueling false information online.

Maduro made his first appearance in a federal courthouse in Manhattan on Jan. 5, after he and his wife,Cilia Flores, were apprehended Jan. 3 in Venezuela and brought to New York. The pair were arraigned ona four-count indictmentlinking them to a long-running narco-terrorism conspiracy. PresidentDonald Trumpcalled the case against him "infallible" when speaking to reporters on Jan. 4 on Air Force One.

Maduro has long denied any involvement in drug trafficking. He and Florespleaded not guiltyin court Monday, Jan. 5.

DEA agents move captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores out of a helicopter, as Nicolas Maduro heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York City, U.S., January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Adam Gray

More:'Not guilty' plea for deposed Venezuelan leader Maduro: live updates

The surprise attack on the oil-rich country has led to a host of questions. Chief among them,who will govern Venezuela?Trump has vowed the United States would "run" the South American country until a democratic transition could occur.

In Venezuela, after years ofgovernment restrictionsweakening independent media, citizens rely on social platforms, international outlets anda shrinking numberof local journalists for uncensored information. Since Maduro's capture, false visuals have spread online and flooded WhatsApp communities and chats.

For example, Trump did not share a picture of himself eating arepas to celebrate Maduro's arrest. However, the president did post a photo of Maduro wearing a Nike tracksuit aboardthe USS Iwo Jima.

Another photo of a man with a sack over his head, seated in the back of a car, circulated online, withone X postsharing the image logging more than 1.4 million views and 32,000 likes. However, users flagged that the man was likely not Maduro. USA TODAY has not independently confirmed the image's origin.

The White House's "Rapid Response" X account did, however,share a videoshowing Maduro walking with U.S. DEA officers. The White House X account alsoposted photosinside what was framed as aMar-a-Lago"war room," which showed Trump, Secretary of StateMarco Rubio, Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth, and other senior officials apparently monitoring the operation and Maduro's capture.

🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/smJU0ZAFxe

— The White House (@WhiteHouse)January 3, 2026

Here's a look at verified photos showing Maduro in custody, a fire at Venezuela's largest military complex following a series of explosions in Caracas, and Venezuelans reacting to Maduro's capture:

A still image from video posted by the White House's Rapid Response 47 account on X.com, which originated from the @PaulDMauro account, shows Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro being walked in custody down a hallway at the offices of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in New York City on Jan. 3, 2026. <p style=Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, pictured here after his capture aboard the USS Iwo Jima, is seen in this handout image posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social Jan. 3, 2026. The United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an overnight military operation on Jan. 3, 2026, President Donald Trump said, as explosions rocked Caracas and targets across the country.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Caracas around 2:00 am on January 3. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is led in custody from a U.S. federal airplane before his scheduled court appearance at Manhattan federal court, at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, U.S. January 3, 2026. A photograph posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account shows him sitting next to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they watch the U.S. military operation in Venezuela from Trump's Mar a Lago resort, in Palm Beach, Florida, January 3, 2026. Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Picture showing damages to a building in the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, after a US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, on January 3, 2026. Smoke rises from explosions in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026, in this screen grab obtained from video obtained by Reuters. Helicopters fly past plumes of smoke rising from explosions, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026 in this screen grab obtained from video obtained by Reuters. A military personnel member walks past debris at La Carlota military air base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 3, 2026. Civilians who were living inside Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex leave the compound, in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. A column of smoke rises during multiple explosions in the early hours of the morning, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026 in this screen grab obtained from video obtained by Reuters. A destroyed anti-aircraft unit at La Carlota military air base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 3, 2026. A firefighter walks past a destroyed anti-aircraft unit at La Carlota military air base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. Destroyed vehicles at La Carlota military air base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. A member of the National Guard stands guard at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026, after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a A Colombian soldier stands guard at the border between Venezuela and Colombia, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Cucuta, Colombia, January 3, 2026. Colombian police and military personnel stand guard at the border between Venezuela and Colombia, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Cucuta, Colombia, January 3, 2026. A destroyed anti-aircraft unit at La Carlota military air base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. A man walks next to military vehicles as Colombian soldiers patrol the border between Venezuela and Colombia, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Cucuta, Colombia, January 3, 2026. Passengers sleep on the floor, after flights were delayed and cancelled when the airspace was closed due to U.S. strikes on Venezuela overnight, at Rafael Hernandez International Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico January 3, 2026. U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jets sit parked on the tarmac at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, January 3, 2026. Colombian soldiers in a military vehicle at the border between Venezuela and Colombia, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Cucuta, Colombia, January 3, 2026. A car drives on an empty street, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela January 3, 2026. A cyclist stops to check their phone, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela January 3, 2026. F-22, C-130 and F-35 aircraft are seen at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base, after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, January 3, 2026. A supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a flag of Venezuela on an empty street near Miraflores Palace, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured President Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. A person wears a Venezuelan flag, as they and others react to the news after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Miami, Florida, U.S., January 3, 2026. People react to the news after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, on the streets of Miami, Florida, U.S., January 3, 2026. A person wearing a hat that reads A man holds a flag reading A photograph posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account shows him sitting next to CIA Director John Ratcliffe as they watch the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, January 3, 2026. Armed supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro block the entrace to the 23 de enero neighborhood in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured him. Picture showing damages to the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, after a US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, on January 3, 2026. An armed supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blocks the entrace to the 23 de enero neighborhood in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured him. Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab, raises his clenched fist as he leaves the vice-presidency building in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. The airplane carrying Venezuelan President Nicolas Madura lands at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y. at approximately 4:30pm Jan. 3, 2026. A motorcade carrying ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro leaves the Westside Heliport in New York on January 3, 2026. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived Saturday evening at a military base in the United States after his capture by US forces in Caracas. Maduro was seen surrounded by FBI agents as he descended the boarding stairs of a US government plane at a New York state National Guard facility, and was slowly escorted along the tarmac. A helicopter carrying ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro comes in to land at the Westside Heliport in New York on January 3, 2026. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived Saturday evening at a military base in the United States after his capture by US forces in Caracas. Maduro was seen surrounded by FBI agents as he descended the boarding stairs of a US government plane at a New York state National Guard facility, and was slowly escorted along the tarmac.

US bombs targets in Venezuela and captures Nicolás Maduro

Reach Rachel Barber atrbarber@usatoday.comand follow her on X @rachelbarber_

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:False images spread online after Maduro's capture. See real photos

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