Netflix Film Scene Falsely Shared as Real Venezuela Torture Footage

Viral Misinformation: A Netflix Film Scene

• 🎬 A gruesome scene from the 2023 Netflix film "Simon" is being widely shared on social media as real footage of torture under Nicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela.
• 📈 One post in Spanish garnered over 17.8 million views, with no context indicating it was a movie scene, and was shared across multiple languages including English, Chinese, and Greek.
• 🔍 The exact scene can be found in the film's official trailer and promotional materials, confirming its origin as a fictional depiction.

Film's Inspiration and Real-World Context

• 💡 While the viral clip is fictional, the film "Simon" was inspired by real events and interviews with Venezuelan student leaders who were detained and tortured.
• 🗣️ The film centers on a Venezuelan freedom fighter named Simon, who flees the country after being detained and tortured for participating in anti-government demonstrations.

Credible Reports of Repression in Venezuela

• ⚠️ Despite the misinformation, credible reports document ongoing repression and torture against Venezuelans.
• ⚖️ A UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission reported a persistent pattern of arbitrary detentions targeting perceived government opponents, including political activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
• 📊 The report cited NGO sources noting 84 arrests in the first two weeks of January 2025 alone and expressed concern over the unknown fate of at least 150 foreign nationals accused of conspiracies against the government.

Previous Instances of Misinformation

• 🔄 This is not the first time the film "Simon" has been falsely presented as real footage; the same scene circulated in 2024 following disputed election results and protests in Venezuela.
• ❌ Multiple fact-checkers, including AFP Latin America, debunked the footage during that period.