Welcome to Favelas: From Urban Decay Page to Far-Right Propaganda Tool
The Italian Instagram account 'Welcome to Favelas', which began as a Facebook page focused on urban decline ten years ago, has evolved into a platform for right-wing political propaganda, boasting a follower count of 1 million. Videos from this page are circulated by Fratelli d'Italia, and its administrator, Massimiliano Zossolo, participated in a Fenix event hosted by the party's youth organization. The page has interviewed Petr Bystron of the German far-right AfD and has attempted to forge connections with the American right, including meetings with representatives of Elon Musk and applying for a $3 million grant from the Trump administration for democratic initiatives. It discusses migrant arrivals in Ceuta, using terms like 'invasion' and advocating for 'remigration'. Zossolo, who was previously under house arrest for assault, has refuted any association with non-consensual image sharing.
Key facts
- Welcome to Favelas is an Instagram page with 1 million followers, originally a Facebook page documenting urban decay.
- The page is run by Massimiliano Zossolo, who was under house arrest for assaulting a Carabinieri armored vehicle in 2011.
- It has become a propaganda tool for right-wing and far-right parties in Italy and internationally, with videos shared by Fratelli d'Italia.
- Zossolo participated in Fenix, an event by Fratelli d'Italia's youth wing, and interviewed Petr Bystron of AfD.
- The page met with Elon Musk's representatives in 2025 and plans to apply for a Trump administration grant of $3 million.
- It has used the hashtag #youarethemedianow after the Musk meeting and promotes AI surveillance systems, referencing Palantir.
- The page has promoted Polymarket, a betting site, and organized a screening of the film 'Citizen Vigilante'.
- Zossolo publishes a Substack newsletter titled 'Se non mi ammazzano prima' with his opinions on immigration and politics.
Entities
Artists
- Massimiliano Zossolo
- Petr Bystron
- Elon Musk
- Mario Roggero
- Matteo Lanfredi
- Shahadat Hossain
- Peter Thiel
Institutions
- Fratelli d'Italia
- Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)
- Repubblica
- Il Tempo
- Palantir
- Polymarket
- Substack
- Fenix
Locations
- Italy
- Rome
- Ceuta
- Morocco
- Germany
- United States
- Val Susa
- Tor Bella Monaca
- Milan