A viral photo purported to show Nicolás Maduro captured is fake. The image was digitally altered by placing Maduro's head onto the body of another detainee. The original photograph actually showed Victor Medvedchuk and first circulated on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram channel on April 12, 2022. Medvedchuk later faced treason charges in Ukraine and was transferred to Russia after a prisoner swap in fall 2022.
Fact Check: Viral Photo of 'Captured Maduro' Is Fake — Head Swapped From Victor Medvedchuk Image
Lead Stories says: Not Real
A widely shared photograph claiming to show Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in custody is false. The image is a doctored version of an authentic photograph in which Maduro's head was digitally placed onto the body of another detained man.
What Was Shared
Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at x.com/front_ukrainian
😁The White House has published the first photo of the captured Maduro.
The claim appeared in a post on X on January 3, 2026, and the doctored image was included with that post. However, the photograph used in the post is not an original image of Maduro in custody.
How We Verified It
Reverse image searches and timestamp comparisons show the original photograph predates the January 2026 post. The unaltered photo first circulated on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram channel on April 12, 2022. That original image depicts Victor Medvedchuk — a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian businessman and politician who later faced treason charges in Ukraine and was transferred to Russia following a prisoner exchange in fall 2022.
Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official
Conclusion
The viral image is a forgery: Maduro's head was digitally attached to the body of Victor Medvedchuk. The provenance of the original photo and the mismatch in dates demonstrate the claim is false. Readers should treat the X post as misinformation and consult verified sources before sharing similar images.
Tip: When you see a surprising image online, run a reverse image search, check the earliest known posting dates, and compare reporting from reputable news outlets to confirm authenticity.
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