Pro-Russia disinformation hub encroaches on Brazil’s political system

The U.S. State Department accused Russia of financing a disinformation campaign in Latin America in order to undermine support for Ukraine and propagate anti-U.S. and anti-NATO sentiment. The statement, issued on November 7, claims that the Kremlin has “a vast ecosystem” of proxy websites, individuals, and organizations that appear to be independent news sources.

These “influence-for-hire” firms are believed to be highly capable of exploiting open information environments. They also have a history of proliferating disinformation and propaganda to further Russia’s foreign influence objectives.

This report comes weeks after the State Department published, late in October, a special assessment on the Brazilian chapter of New Resistance, a fascist organization exporting Kremlin-friendly propaganda.

The Brazilian chapter of New Resistance describes itself as a “national-revolutionary” organization “which defends broad resistance to the neoliberal and globalist agenda in Brazil.” Its homepage currently displays a poster supporting Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad, an ally of President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Another poster shows the U.S. flag being burned, with an arm holding a rifle in the foreground and the words “Freedom! Justice! Revolution!”

New Resistance recently made it to the headlines in the Brazilian press because some of its members have joined traditional political parties, most notably the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), a center-left party founded in 1979 by the late Leonel Brizola, one of Brazil’s foremost left-wing politicians and an opponent of the military dictatorship (1964-1985).

Around May this year, PDT reportedly expelled around 50 people who were affiliated with New Resistance after press stories showed the connections between the group and party members. PDT does not confirm the number. When asked, the party forwards a statement released last month claiming that it does not currently have New Resistance members in its ranks. The statement added that PDT “vehemently repudiates extremism and authoritarianism.”

The presence of New Resistance members in the party was notorious...