Movie Scene of Venezuelans Being Tortured Falsely Shared as Real

Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be misleading. The clip shows scenes from a movie.

Scenes from 2023 Venezuelan Film

Reverse image search of the video frames led to an Instagram post by an account named “simonthefilm,” the official Instagram account of the film “SIMÓN,” a 2023 Venezuelan drama film. The account published a video in December 2025, depicting scenes that match those in the viral video.

Further keyword search using the movie’s name led to a showreel on IMDb on the page of Horacio Martinez, the movie’s photography director. The showreel also showed typical scenes of the viral footage.

It is worth noting that the movie is inspired by real events and interviews with tortured student leaders. The film highlights Venezuela’s authoritarian regime, with over 7 million fleeing the crisis. It premiered at the Florida Film Festival and earned a Goya nomination, evading Venezuelan censorship.

Accusations of Human Rights Violations Against Nicolás Maduro’s Regime

While the video in question was taken from a movie, credible reports document systematic torture and ill-treatment of Venezuelans.

In March 2025, the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) reported that it identified a persistent pattern of arbitrary detentions targeting perceived opponents, human rights defenders, and journalists in Venezuela, documenting 84 such arrests during the first 15 days of January 2025.

The FFM has noted that some of these cases may constitute short-term enforced disappearances, where the state refuses to acknowledge the detention or disclose the person's whereabouts.

The FFM also highlighted the detention of at least 150 foreign nationals accused of participating in conspiracies against the Venezuelan government, noting that the fate and whereabouts of these individuals remain unknown to their families and authorities in their countries of origin.

U.S. Charges Against Nicolás Maduro

Following the January 2026 raid that saw Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores abducted from Caracas, U.S. authorities have formally charged the couple in a New York federal court. The indictment, originally filed under seal in the Southern District of New York on December 25, 2025, accuses Maduro of leading a “corrupt, illegitimate government” that engaged in extensive drug trafficking to the United States.

The charges against Maduro and five associates — including his wife, his son Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, former Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacín, and Tren de Aragua leader Hector “Nino” Guerrero — range from narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, to possession of, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. U.S. prosecutors claim Maduro facilitated corruption and drug operations, providing diplomatic passports and cover for traffickers and launderers. However, U.S. intelligence has found no evidence linking Maduro directly to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Washington has proscribed as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)”.

Read More

Outdated Video of Colectivos Threatening People in Venezuela Resurfaces Following Maduro’s Capture

Video Showing Military Aircraft Bombing Caracas Is Digitally Altered