Dominican Republic and Panama brace for AI deepfake threats in upcoming elections

Communicator Danylsa Vargas warned that deepfake videos, audio and images generated with artificial intelligence could shape the Dominican Republic’s 2028 elections, stressing the difficulty of detection and the need for verification mechanisms. She questioned whether the Central Electoral Board has protocols to counter AI‑driven misinformation and urged political parties to avoid using manipulated content.

In Panama, Electoral Tribunal director Yara Campos announced preparations to detect and sanction the use of AI‑generated media in the 2029 general election. The tribunal is drafting rules that require warning labels on AI‑based political propaganda, imposing a pre‑election ban on such content, and developing digital monitoring tools with support from the United Nations Development Programme. Campos cited Brazil’s recent sanctions as a model and noted that existing electoral code provisions already allow penalties, though further regulation is under development.