Death of Santiago Maldonado
Santiago Maldonado was an Argentine activist who went missing after the Argentine National Gendarmerie dispersed a demonstration against the Benetton Group's activities in Cushamen Department, Chubut Province, Argentina, on 1 August 2017. Maldonado's body was found in October in the nearby Chubut River. The autopsy of the body indicated that Santiago's cause of death was "drowning by immersion in the water of the Chubut River, contributed by hypothermia", that there were no signs of violence, and that the body had stayed underwater for at least 55 days. In November, a commission of 55 forensic experts asserted that Maldonado died by asphyxia and hypothermia, and that there were no evidence of blows or injuries to his body.
Read the full Wikipedia article ↗ 575 reads in 60 days
Check the claims
Search independent fact-checkers for this topic:
Action items
- Read the article's evidence and "investigation" or "reception" sections, and open its cited sources.
- Before sharing anything on this topic, run it through the fact-checkers above.
- Rely on coroner, court and official investigation records.
- Be wary of 'hidden clue' videos and anniversary-timed rumors.
- If someone you know believes it, ask what evidence would change their mind, and share one good source, not ten.
Prevention steps
- StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
- Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
- Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
- Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
- Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
- Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
- Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
- PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.