Bolivia's President Paz Faces Deepfake Claim as Families Seek Help for Citizens in Ukraine War

A video circulating on social media in May 2026 used artificial‑intelligence generated audio and footage to claim the Ukrainian army was demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira. The audio was falsely attributed to a senior Bolivian military officer and the video, created by Luis Gonzalo Sucasaca Pari, was debunked by the fact‑checking outlet Bolivia Verifica as a deepfake.

Separately, relatives of Bolivian nationals who travelled to Russia under false promises of civilian jobs have gathered in La Paz demanding official information and humanitarian assistance. They allege recruiters sent them to language schools before deploying them to military bases near the front lines of the Russia‑Ukraine conflict. The families, represented by Víctor Hugo Velasco of the Santa Cruz Human Rights Association, have asked the foreign ministry, led by Chancellor Fernando Aramayo, to intervene and facilitate repatriation, and intend to appeal to international organisations for support.