AN X user, @zakhemabaso, has claimed that the United States of America has lifted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe as the Western nation is interested in the latter’s mineral resources.
In the 24-second footage, Donald Trump, a former US president who is also running for re-election in the US later this year, was seen saying that America lifted its sanctions on Zimbabwe specifically to get involved in the country’s mining business, especially lithium and diamonds.
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The audio of the footage transcribed below read:
…We have pushed for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe, we want to participate in their lithium and diamonds. We can’t be left out . The Chinese and Russians have taken up all the mines…
The X user also wrote a caption alongside the footage thus:
The capitalist vultures have us in their sight….forewarned is forearmed. Now we understand why the sanctions were removed. People of Zimbabwe wake up before the predators move in!!!
The claimant is insinuating that the sanctions lifted by the US is a ploy for them to get involved in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.
It will be recalled that on March 4, 2024, the United States removed sanctions against many Zimbabwean companies and individuals but imposed new ones on Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa and a few others in the southern African country.
“Specifically, the Department of the Treasury is designating three entities and eleven individuals, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Brigadier General (Retired) Walter Tapfumaneyi, and businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, for their involvement in corruption or serious human rights abuse,” a White House statement read.
CLAIM
The United States lifted its earlier sanctions on Zimbabwe in order to get involved in its mining sector.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE, as the video has been doctored.
A brief look at the video shows that the footage was AI-generated as it has the watermark of the AI app on it.
TryParrotAI.com is a software application that is used to make Deepfakes audio and videos.
Our fact-checker also observed that the audio and video of the footage were not in sync, a common feature peculiar with AI-generated videos.
ALSO READ: Five AI tools used in generating disinformation visuals
Further checks also revealed that the footage is a template for most deepfake videos made with Donald Trump’s visual.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the United States lifted its earlier sanctions on Zimbabwe in order to get involved in its mining sector is FALSE; the video is AI-generated.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].
