A Chilevisión report revealed one of the bots linked to José Antonio Kast’s candidacy and the social media actions by supporters of the far-right leader to attack presidential candidates Jeannette Jara and Evelyn Matthei. Patricio Góngora, a businessman, former communications manager at the AFP Association (Pension Fund Administrators Association), and current member of the board of Canal 13, is alleged to have participated in coordinating a network aimed at amplifying Kast’s messages. The method of using digital technology for these purposes aligns with operations carried out in the United States by Donald Trump, by Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, and Javier “el loco” Milei in Argentina, thus following a format used by the far right, which Kast joined some time ago.
El Siglo, Santiago. Suspicions and accusations have been confirmed. From the far right, sympathizers of the Republicano party and supporters of ultra-right presidential hopeful José Antonio Kast are carrying out actions on social networks to attack presidential candidates, spread disinformation, disseminate hate speech, promote fake news, spread fake profiles, among other objectives.
The method of using digital technology for these purposes aligns with operations carried out in the United States by Donald Trump, by Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, and Javier “el loco” Milei in Argentina, thus following a format used by the far right, which Kast joined some time ago.
On the program “A Fondo” (In Depth) on the television channel Chilevisión, bots linked to Kast were revealed through the account “Patito Verde,” as well as the promotion of fake profiles, disinformation, hate messages, and attacks against presidential candidates Jeannette Jara and Evelyn Matthei.
Patricio Góngora, a businessman, communications manager at the AFP Association, and executive of Canal 13, owned by the Luksic family (the richest in the country), appears directly involved in this scheme. The figurehead managed the account and is alleged to have participated in coordinating the network to amplify José Antonio Kast’s messages. This would show another connection between businessmen, Republicano, and Kast in actions that are considered detrimental to democratic practices and good political and institutional coexistence.
The Chilevisión report also pointed to the generation of artificial trends to install disinformation messages, fake news, hate speech, and attacks against Jara and Matthei.
Jeannette Jara reacted immediately to this revelation and stated that “the Chilevisión report confirmed something extremely serious: manipulation with bots is no longer a suspicion, it is a reality that damages democracy. It installs hatred, acts violently and without any scruples. It is not surprising that it comes from the far right; Republicanos are responsible. José Antonio Kast must speak out. He publicly assured that he did not use bots, but today the evidence shows the opposite. What more do we need to demand transparency? The citizens deserve answers, not deception.”
For her part, Evelyn Matthei, when Republicanos networks claimed she suffered from mental illnesses, stated that there was a “disgusting campaign,” “coordinated from many different accounts at the same time.” Some time ago, she challenged Kast to apologize and explain these actions by his supporters.
Faced with the situation, government spokesperson Minister Camila Vallejo stated that “because we are concerned with protecting civic coexistence and democracy, from the very beginning we have criticized campaigns from anonymous accounts that have been deployed, installing lies to affect candidate Matthei, the Government, and the President himself.”
She stated that “debate and free expression are part of democracy, but fakes and orchestrated hatred on social networks undermine it. What is raised by the CHV investigation is very serious and we hope those alluded to will speak out, especially Mr. Patricio Góngora Torreblanca, a member of the board of Canal 13.”
The report on Chilevisión‘s “A Fondo” program detailed the actions of Ricardo Inaiman, who used the pseudonym “Neuroc,” who was behind the bots, coordinating with other trolls allegedly associated with attacks on Matthei and messages against the Government, the left, and “Octubrismo” (a reference to the 2019 social uprising). Among the messages spread, one says “the only thing we have left is to enhance what we have and destroy Jeannette Jara.”
The journalistic work indicated that Inaiman “acts as a data source and provides legitimacy for the Republican bloc, being an ‘account mother’ that deepens, investigates, and prepares the ground for subsequent attacks.” This individual allegedly had a criminal record and a conviction in 2011 for minor injuries after assaulting his own mother with kicks and punches.
Faced with this situation, Ana María Gazmuri, a deputy for the Humanist Action party, said on X that “the Chilevisión report confirms what was suspected: a far-right bot army in favour of Kast and the Republican Party operates in the shadows, even with links to Patricio Góngora (Patito Verde), part of the executive press team of Canal 13, whom they call ‘boss.’ Kast not only follows the exposed accounts: he benefits from these attacks that manipulate public opinion and jeopardize democracy itself. Remaining silent about this is not an option. He must face the music.”
Socialist deputy Daniel Manouchehri stated that “the background information linking the director of Canal 13, Patricio Góngora, to a network of defamation and Fake News is extremely serious. In what other operations is he involved? Who does he coordinate with? What is his connection to José Antonio Kast? @Patitoo_Verde: cowardly and pusillanimous. You and the army of Republican trolls will have to answer to the country and to the @FiscaliadeChile (Chilean Public Prosecutor’s Office).”
Following this event, a group of legislators filed a complaint with the National Prosecutor, Ángel Valencia, for the use of digital networks to attack presidential candidates and requested an investigation into a bot network allegedly dedicated to propagating attacks, hate messages, and disinformation.
The measure is for “computer crimes, illicit association, and any other criminal offenses that arise from the criminal investigation initiated in this regard.”
The deputies who pushed the petition are Diego Ibáñez, Karol Cariola, Rubén Oyarzo, Jaime Araya, Daniel Melo, Cristián Tapia, Daniel Manouchehri, Daniella Cicardini, Juan Santana, and Marcos Ilabaca.
They indicated that “the seriousness of the facts and their impact on the decisions of voters is so evident and dangerous for democracy in our country.” They indicated that “we, the complainants, have also been victims of similar campaigns of defamation and fake news, originating from the same identified networks.”
The parliamentarians asked the Public Prosecutor’s Office to summon José Antonio Kast, and the administrators and operators of the bot accounts identified in this case, to testify.
As this article was closing, it was learned that the Canal 13 executive, Patricio Góngora, was forced to resign.