By Luis De Jesus
Electoral propaganda in favor of Nicolás Maduro broadcast on giant screens in Times Square, New York, is causing outrage among Venezuelans who reject the conditions of abandonment in hospitals or the poverty in which thousands of citizens live.
The colorful image of a rooster with the message “I’m going to my gallo pinto” appeared on the TSX Entertainment screen for several seconds on Thursday. This fact was celebrated by the ruler, who made the comment through a broadcast on his social networks.
“I was very surprised because I saw the Gallo Pinto advertisement on the screens in Times Square, I saw it on social media. I know New York like the back of my hand,” he said.
How did Maduro’s propaganda reach New York?
The non-governmental organization Cazadores de Fake News, which debunks false information circulating in the country, explains that someone paid between $45 and $60 dollars to project the image for a few seconds.
He says that projecting any type of content on that screen is very simple and that the company even has an application that allows you to upload any image and pay online for the service.
“You can select the day and time of the screening and you can see the price to pay. It is a simple process that can be booked for just a few dollars from anywhere in the world,” he says.
The NGO is warning that paying for advertising strategies in the United States is not new, but rather part of a recurring pattern linked to influence operations related to the Venezuelan government.
⚠️ It’s not that the “El Gallo Pinto” drawing went viral in Times Square; someone paid between $45 and $60 dollars to project the propaganda piece for a few seconds.
In a video shared in a coordinated manner yesterday, a drawing of “El Gallo Pinto” appears for a moment in the… https://t.co/5oJiy5VuMz pic.twitter.com/oDOIkLIq90
— Fake News Hunters (@cazamosfakenews) July 19, 2024
Many Venezuelans expressed their rejection on social media.
“What will the gallo pinto do over there, if he doesn’t like capitalism?”, “That costs 40 dollars, it must have been some Maduro supporter around there”, “That’s the only way he can get to New York, because if he comes in person they’ll put him in jail”, “And the people will have to work hard”, “For that, yes, but for the rest there is a sanction, blockade and economic war”, they said.
Why does Maduro call himself “gallo pinto”?
When Nicolás Maduro calls himself “gallo pinto” in his presidential campaign in Venezuela, he is trying to convey several key ideas.
By using a term that implies cunning and shrewdness, he is trying to project an image of being a skilled and perceptive politician, someone who knows how to navigate the complicated political landscape with dexterity and who can cleverly navigate obstacles.
This term can also be interpreted as a challenge to one’s opponents.
He could be suggesting that he is a difficult figure to face because of his ability to manoeuvre and adapt, which adds an element of direct challenge to the opposition.
Meanwhile, the socialist ruler calls his political adversaries “clumsy.”
In Venezuela, this term is used colloquially to refer to a person who is considered unintelligent or stupid. It is a derogatory term used to describe someone who makes mistakes or acts clumsily.
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