A video generated with artificial intelligence spreads false statements from Alfonso Rodríguez Badal, the PSOE candidate for the mayoralty of Calvià. The content, published in a community group administered by the Vox spokesperson, has generated dozens of comments and criticisms.
The electoral pre-campaign in Calvià has taken a digital leap into the void. A manipulated video with artificial intelligence (AI) has put Alfonso Rodríguez Badal, the current Government delegate in Balears and socialist candidate for the municipality's mayoralty, in the eye of the storm. The recording, disseminated in a Facebook community group, simulates the politician announcing radical measures against immigration and tourism, but it is all false.
The hoax that spread like wildfire
The video, which reproduces Rodríguez Badal's image but not his voice with total fidelity, includes phrases such as: “I return to turn Calvià into the ideological and neglectful swamp it was.” It also promises to promote tourism phobia and prioritise illegal immigrants in aid. The publication was made without any notice that it was a montage.
The content was posted in Calvià's main Facebook community group, which has thousands of followers. One of its administrators is Manuel Mas, the municipal spokesperson for Vox and deputy mayor of the Town Hall. This coincidence has raised alarms among socialists, who see it as a discrediting maneuver.
Mixed reactions online
The video provoked dozens of comments. Some neighbours believed it and expressed their indignation towards the PSOE. But quickly, voices emerged warning of the deception. Several users called for the removal of the content for inducing confusion and misinformation. Until yesterday, the video remained visible in the forum.
For the resident of Calvià, this episode represents a degradation of public debate. “This is not politics, it's intoxication,” commented a resident in the same group. The lack of labelling as AI-generated content violates platform recommendations, although there is no specific regulation in Spain requiring it.
Rodríguez Badal returns to the municipal arena
The publication comes just after Rodríguez Badal registered his candidacy for the 2027 elections. The former mayor of Calvià from 2015 to 2023 left the Town Hall upon being appointed Government delegate, a position he still holds. Now, 16 years after his first candidacy, he will attempt to wrest control from Juan Antonio Amengual (PP).
The local PSOE has renewed its general secretariat with Marta de Teba, but Rodríguez Badal's figure remains the main electoral asset. The fake video has reopened the debate on the limits of AI in campaigns, a matter that concerns all parties. So far, no formal complaint has been filed, although socialist sources do not rule out going to the Electoral Board.
For the reader in Calvià, the controversy highlights that misinformation does not understand political colours. “If you don’t verify, they’ll pull a fast one on you,” a user ironically remarked in the same group. The next electoral date is in May 2027, and all signs point to the digital battle being as intense as that at the polls. Meanwhile, the video remains an example of how AI can be used to manipulate, but also of how the community can react to debunk it.
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