Colombian right-wing uses AI to flood campaigns with operative images
During the 2026 presidential race in Colombia, right-wing contenders are employing generative AI to produce subpar visuals, such as soap operas themed around fruit and artificial debates. This phenomenon mirrors global right-wing trends and signals a diminishing belief in shared possibilities, as theorist Eric Sadin observes. Hito Steyerl refers to these visuals as 'poor images,' which derive their worth from how quickly they circulate. Candidates like Valencia and Oviedo advocate for blockchain audits to tackle corruption, while De la Espriella proposes 'Plan Colombia 2.0,' featuring military AI. The article cautions that this aesthetic strategy detracts from political dialogue and obscures critical issues like inequality, with examples from Latin America, including Milei's AI hub and Bukele's Grok AI in educational settings.
Key facts
- Right-wing Colombian candidates use generative AI to produce massive volumes of campaign images in 2026 presidential election.
- Images include fruit-themed soap operas, Hollywood recreations, imaginary football matches, and synthetic debates.
- Paloma Valencia and Iván Cepeda featured in a synthetic debate video posted on Valencia's Facebook on April 21, 2026.
- De la Espriella's campaign posted AI videos of him transformed into a tiger destroying a train labeled 'Los de Siempre' on Instagram in April 2026.
- Eric Sadin describes a global loss of faith in common possibilities and atrophy of critical faculties due to AI.
- Hito Steyerl's 'poor image' concept: value in circulation speed, not resolution or likeness.
- Harun Farocki's 'operative images': not for contemplation but to function within a system.
- Valencia and Oviedo's 'Colombia Más Grande 2026' plan proposes blockchain-based audits and AI to fight corruption.
- De la Espriella's 'Plan Colombia 2.0' includes drones, military AI, and glyphosate.
- Javier Milei proposes making Argentina a global AI hub with no regulation.
- Nayib Bukele signed agreement with Elon Musk on December 11, 2025 to install Grok AI in over 5,000 Salvadoran schools.
- Sur Energy and OpenAI signed letter of intent in October 2025 for a data center in Patagonia with up to 500 MW capacity and $25 billion investment.
- Mapuche communities fear water scarcity and environmental damage from the Patagonia data center.
- Article references Walter Benjamin's angel of history and Sartre's antisemite figure.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Sur Energy
- OpenAI
- xAI
- Pulitzer Center
- DW Español
- Focus Noticias
- Esfera Pública
- New Socialist
- El País
Locations
- Colombia
- Argentina
- Patagonia
- Vaca Muerta
- El Salvador
- Auschwitz
- France