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Disinfo: The blackout in Argentina was the result of some kind of US attack

Summary

The blackout in Argentina, Uruguay and some areas of Brazil and Chile in June 2019 was intentionally caused by the US, perhaps through an electromagnetic pulse or a cyber-attack. It could be intended to warn Argentina prior to the upcoming elections in which a left-wing government may come to power again, and as a deterrent against Russia, China and Iran.

Disproof

No evidence is provided to support these claims. Argentina’s blackout happened after a similar outage in Venezuela, where the government openly blamed an alleged US cyber-attack.

On July 3, an official report of the Argentinian government attributed the blackout to an “operating error by high-voltage power transportation company Transener”, in charge of securing the country’s electric grid, definitely ruling out the possibility of an external intervention.

You can see other examples of disinformation about Western cyberattacks against Russia, the US causing the blackout in Venezuela and US cyber-attacks behind the power outage in South America.

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publication/media

Sputnik Spain (Archived)
Sputnik Spain (Archived)
Sputnik Spain (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 160
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 19/06/2019
  • Language/target audience: Spanish, Castilian
  • Country: US
  • Keywords: Cyber

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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Present-time Poland and Piłsudski regime are politically identical

The current political regime in Poland and Józef Piłsudski’s regime are identical. Their common characteristics are the preservation of nominal democratic institutions, right-wing conservatism and worsening relations with the USSR / Russia.

July 24, 2019
Disproof

This message is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the undemocratic EU and its individual member states. It is aimed to discredit the current Polish political system by drawing analogues with the interwar undemocratic regime of Józef Piłsudski.

Whereas a number of remote similarities between the two were taken out of context, it is groundless to claim that the Józef Piłsudski interwar political regime is identical to present-time democratic Poland.

Poland pursues aggressive regional project Intermarium

Polish foreign policy in Central and Eastern Europe reflects its plans to take Belarus and Ukraine under control and to create a buffer zone between Poland and Russia. In his inaugural speech, Polish president Andrzej Duda announced plans to revive Intermarium, a sanitary cordon in Eastern Europe under Poland’s aegis. This idea is actively promoted by Poland-based Belsat TV channel which broadcasts to the Belarusian population. The harsh criticism of Nazi collaborators by Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas can be applied to present-time Belarusian promoters of Polish ideas.

July 24, 2019
Disproof

This message is a conspiracy theory consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about Poland's hostile plans towards Belarus and its imperial ambitions. It is also aimed to discredit Belarusian independent media, Belsat TV channel in particular, by drawing parallels with Nazi collaborators. A series of TV programmes by Belsat TV channel, titled Intermarium, discuss Belarusian historical events rather than promote Polish imperialist ideology as alleged.

In his inaugural speech, Polish president Andrzej Duda did not voice plans to revive a buffer zone in Eastern Europe under Polish patronage, as alleged. Speaking about the importance to have good neighbourly relations, Duda said: "We have to talk to our partners in Central and Eastern Europe, to the north of the Baltic Sea basin up to the Adriatic Sea." Nowhere in his speech did the Polish president refer to a buffer zone.