A China-linked influence operation posed as a human rights organization on social media to incite Spaniards against their government.
A new report by American social network analysis firm Graphika revealed that the operation targeted Spain after the deadly October floods in Valencia.
Accounts tied to the Spamouflage network, which has suspected links to China, spread disinformation from November to January across Facebook, X, BlueSky, and TikTok.
Fake Accounts Target Spanish Officials
The imposter accounts pretended to be the Madrid-based Safeguard Defenders, sharing English and Spanish posts critical of the government.
Posts accused Valencia Governor Carlos Mazon of poor leadership during the floods that killed over 200 people. Mazon faced public outrage but refused to resign despite growing pressure.
The disaster deepened distrust in Spain’s ruling elite. Locals in Paiporta confronted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe VI, forcing them to leave the town.
A far-right group later claimed responsibility for the violent attack against Sanchez.
Spamouflage Escalates Political Manipulation
Graphika’s report highlighted this as the first known instance of Spamouflage calling for a government overthrow.
Spamouflage has been active since 2017 and previously attempted to spread political unrest in the U.S. and Canada.
The network has denied any links to the Chinese government, despite evidence connecting it to state-backed disinformation campaigns.
This escalation signals a new phase in foreign influence efforts, raising concerns about social media manipulation in global politics.
