Biden Arrives In Florida As Conspiracy Theories, Disinformation Inundate Latino Voters

Right-wing conspiracy theories and disinformation aimed at Joe Biden have flooded Spanish-language websites and WhatsApp channels as the Democratic nominee makes a campaign push in South Florida.

A Florida Atlantic University poll released Tuesday showed 49% of likely voters favor Biden while 46% support Trump. Past polls indicated Biden was underperforming among the state's Hispanic voters. Biden on Tuesday made his first appearance in Florida as the Democratic nominee with events in Tampa and Kissimmee.

Politico reported Wednesday of the conspiracy theories involving QAnon and Black Lives Matter, as well as baseless attacks painting Biden as a pedophile and socialist are being used to undercut his support.

Latino Democratic strategist Evelyn Pérez-Verdia told Politico that far-right Spanish-language news clips and videos have invaded WhatsApp groups intended to misinform Colombian and Venezuelan communities.

“I’ve never seen this level of disinformation, conspiracy theories and lies,” Perez-Verdia said. “It looks as if it has to be coordinated.”

An International Business Times examination of multiple Spanish-speaking news outlets found sites like PanAm Post and Diario Las Americas are propagating the idea that the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, which includes President Nicolas Maduro, is backing Biden. Among the headlines was: “Biden the favorite of the PSUV, party of the regime in Venezuela.”

Unsubstantiated claims against Biden are also being spread through outlets like Venezuela-focused Noticias 24.

Some headlines included, “Parents alert: attempts to normalize pedophilia and legalize pedophilia.” A tweet included the caption: “The way Joe Biden approaches and touches girls I find totally gross and disgusting.”

Some Spanish-language news outlets in Miami recently have come under fire for sharing anti-Semitic and anti-Black Lives Matters views. El Nuevo Herald, the sister paper to the Miami Herald, issued a public apology Friday in response to an ad insert that targeted Jewish Americans.

"What kind of people are these Jews? They're always talking about the Holocaust, but have they already forgotten Kristallnacht when Nazi thugs rampaged through Jewish shops all over Germany? So do the BLM and Antifa. Only the Nazis didn't steal; they only destroyed,” the ad insert said.

The wide diversity in South Florida’s Latin American community ranges from right-leaning Cubans to more liberal Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Nicaraguans, Dominicans and Venezuelans. The conspiracy theories and rise of right-wing Spanish media have already had an effect on Biden's campaign, a pollster told Politico.

A victory in Florida, which has 29 electoral votes, remains a key campaign objective for both White House contenders. In 2016, Trump edged Democrat Hillary Clinton by 1.2 percentage points in Florida.

IBT reached out to the Biden campaign for comment but did not receive an immediate response.