Original article: “Es una forma de ganar elecciones que es tramposa, que es mentira”: Matthei apunta a Cerimedo y alerta por maquinaria digital

«A Deceptive Way to Win Elections»: Evelyn Matthei Criticizes Fernando Cerimedo and Warns of Digital Manipulation

Former presidential candidate Evelyn Matthei issued a warning regarding the use of digital machinery to manipulate public opinion, linking the recent arrest of Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo with the systematic attacks she faced during the election campaign.

«This is a deceptive way to win elections,» she stated in an interview with journalist Néstor Aburto for Bío Bío Chile, where she not only questioned President José Antonio Kast’s denials regarding his involvement in these operations but also described a network she believes poses «a severe threat to democracy.»

The catalyst for her remarks was the arrest of the far-right political operator in Bolivia, who currently faces four charges including attempted femicide against his ex-partner Nadia Beller; money laundering; domestic violence; and alleged involvement in drug trafficking flights.

During a raid on a residence occupied by Cerimedo in La Paz, a «mini bot farm» was discovered, reigniting Matthei’s suspicions, who recalled a private conversation with Kast during the electoral campaign.

According to her account, the current president categorically denied any connection to the digital smear campaigns. «He told me several times to my face, looking me in the eyes,» she insisted, although she confessed that she never believed those words: «I didn’t believe anything he said, and I still don’t believe anything.»

The former candidate detailed that the digital harassment was not an isolated incident, but an orchestrated offensive that intensified since January of last year. «The systematic attack against me by republican groups started in January,» she asserted, outlining a campaign that began by accusing her of being the intellectual author of a pension reform, followed by labeling her as a leftist and eventually a communist.

The peak of this campaign was the spread of false information regarding her health. «They released claims that I had Alzheimer’s,» Matthei recalled, speaking to Bio Bío Chile, explaining that she decided to report it publicly despite recommendations against it because she felt it was necessary to «warn Chile» about a «very, very terrible campaign.»

Matthei directly linked these actions to Kast’s circle by referencing a public photo showing Cerimedo with members of the president’s team.

It’s important to note that through the Numen Spa company, created by his Chilean partner, lawyer Enrique García Arancibia, the Argentine consultant was hired by the so-called «Casa Común,» a rejection command in 2020, based in Vitacura, led by former deputy Gonzalo de la Carrera from the National Libertarian Party and former president of Codelco (2010-2014), Gerardo Jofré, alongside other businessmen affiliated with the right and far-right.

In this organization, Cerimedo coincided with Alejandro Irarrázaval, the current head of advisors at La Moneda, Felipe Costabal, known as «Yeti,» and Ignacio Dülger, a former advisor and regional councilor, whose main task was to work on campaigns supporting the rejection option for both the entry and exit plebiscites at that time.

«It’s very strange that these accounts were deactivated just when Cerimedo was arrested in Bolivia»

However, the element that the former presidential candidate found most revealing was the deactivation of two key social media accounts, which specialized in spreading attacks and content favorable to the republican sector. «Almost 48 hours after his arrest, the two main republican accounts were deactivated,» she claimed, calling the timing highly suspicious. «It’s very strange that they were taken down just when they arrested Cerimedo in Bolivia.» She suggested that fear of being linked or losing the «echo chamber» that the bot farm provided could explain this action.

Beyond this specific case, the former presidential candidate warned about the impact of these structures, which go beyond mere trolling on networks. She argued that the mechanism not only spreads lies on digital platforms but also utilizes «known figures who lend credibility to these lies,» granting visibility and believability to the fabrications.

«Ultimately, this is a conglomerate where entirely false realities are created, but people believe them,» she explained. In this context, she defined this practice as «a deceptive way to win elections, based on lies, and therefore, a direct threat to the integrity of the democratic system.»

The former mayor of Providencia also extended her concerns beyond the electoral sphere, indicating that such operations have unlimited destructive potential.

«Here they can create and dismantle companies, build up or tear down people, journalists, lawyers,» she warned, outlining a scenario where no one is safe from being a target of orchestrated digital smear campaigns. While Matthei acknowledged that there is still no conclusive evidence linking Cerimedo to the deactivated accounts and political campaigns in Chile, she insisted that the connections are too evident to ignore and that in time, «the truth will eventually come out.»