Russian Disinformation Network with Spanish Connections Uncovered

In a disturbing development bridging disinformation networks across continents, a Mexican religious website has been found systematically republishing Kremlin propaganda and conspiracy theories aimed at Western leaders, according to a joint investigation by Spanish and Mexican fact-checking organizations.

The Catholic News Agency, founded in Mexico in 2019, has been identified as a key conduit for spreading Russian disinformation campaigns, particularly those targeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron.

The cross-border investigation by Maldita.es (Spain) and Verificado.mx (Mexico) reveals how the religious website has amplified false narratives originating from Russian state media outlets and known propaganda websites. Among the false claims republished were assertions that Zelensky had purchased Hitler’s former property in Bavaria and acquired a 51% stake in a South African platinum mine for $1.6 billion.

These fabrications follow a pattern of Kremlin-orchestrated disinformation campaigns designed to portray Zelensky as squandering Western financial support on luxury items. The Catholic News Agency also spread unfounded allegations linking the Ukrainian president to cocaine use and trafficking.

Perhaps most troubling is the website’s persistent amplification of a conspiracy theory claiming that Brigitte Macron, wife of the French president, is transgender. Multiple posts on this topic were traced back to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti and other Kremlin-aligned sources. The Mexican website also republished content from American influencer Candace Owens, who was sued for defamation by the Macrons in June 2025 after producing a YouTube series promoting these false claims.

Beyond Russian propaganda, the Catholic News Agency regularly features content from anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ websites like LifeSiteNews, which was blocked on Facebook in 2021 for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. The agency also publishes columns by Luis Losada Pescador, a founding member of the controversial Spanish organization Hazte Oír, known for its campaigns against reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

The investigation has uncovered a complex web of connections between Russian oligarchs and conservative religious organizations. Vladimir Yakunin and Konstantin Malofeev, two Russian billionaires sanctioned by Western governments, have reportedly allocated over €160 million between 2013 and 2018 to combat feminism, gender diversity, and non-traditional family structures in Europe.

Content produced by the Catholic News Agency doesn’t remain confined to its website. It frequently appears on Gateway Hispanic, the Spanish-language sister site of The Gateway Pundit, an American website with a documented history of spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation.

Security experts have long warned about Russia’s strategic use of religion as a foreign policy tool. The European Parliament’s Research Service has highlighted how the Kremlin infiltrates Western Christian associations to build “conservative Christian alliances” promoting traditional values as a means of advancing Russian influence.

The investigation demonstrates how disinformation can transcend borders, languages, and ideological spheres. By presenting falsehoods through seemingly legitimate religious channels, these campaigns gain credibility with audiences that might otherwise be skeptical of content from obvious Russian sources.

When contacted by the investigating organizations, the Catholic News Agency did not respond to inquiries about their republication of debunked Russian disinformation campaigns.

The findings raise serious concerns about Foreign Information Interference and Manipulation (FIMI) operations targeted at both Mexican and Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide, using religious platforms as vehicles for political influence operations.