Source: La Prensa, Panama

Karla Castillo thought she was making the right choice when she left Chile, where she had built a stable life over five years, to chase the dream of a better future in the United States. Now, with tears in her eyes, she says, “I repent a thousand times.”

Castillo, a 36-year-old Venezuelan and single mother of four, had work, security, and a community in Chile. But the possibility of making more money in the U.S. lured her into the treacherous journey north. She spent time in Venezuela before making her way through the Darién Gap, one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.

“It was a bad decision,” she admits. “I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s the worst experience. You see everything—dead bodies, rapes, robberies. They grope you, they touch you.”

In Mexico, Castillo became a victim of a kidnapping attempt. Her plan was to reach the U.S. and then bring her children, but when border restrictions tightened, she found herself stranded. Now, she is on her way back—first to Venezuela, then hopefully back to Chile, where she once had a job as a nanny with “excellent bosses” who still keep in touch with her.

A Journey Fueled by Economic Aspirations, Not Asylum Claims

Castillo’s story is not unique. Many of the migrants now making the reverse journey south originally left behind comfortable lives in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. These were not desperate refugees fleeing war or persecution, but rather people seeking higher wages—an economic motive that disqualifies them from asylum in the U.S.

For years, Venezuelans and other Latin American migrants took advantage of lenient border policies under the Biden administration. They risked the treacherous Darién jungle and endured hardships to reach the U.S., hoping to find better-paying jobs. But with shifting immigration policies, many are now finding themselves unable to stay and are heading back south, often at great financial and emotional cost.

‘At Least I Made the Attempt’

John Orozco, a 49-year-old Venezuelan, spent six months in Mexico trying to secure an immigration appointment through the CBP One app—only to see it discontinued. He has now accepted that the U.S. is not an option for him.

“There was no opportunity, but I don’t regret it. I will never regret it,” he says. “The return has been even harder, and more expensive, but at least I made the attempt.”

Orozco is divorced, with one daughter in Venezuela and two children in the U.S. His return journey from Mexico has already cost him $900. He crossed into Panama through Paso Canoas at the Costa Rica border, navigating back roads to avoid immigration checkpoints.

In Mexico, he was able to work and save money, but loneliness weighed on him. Now, he plans to start over in Chile, where his sister is waiting for him in Medellín, Colombia.

“I’m not going to do anything in Venezuela,” he explains. “You can’t arrive empty-handed. You need capital to start over. Otherwise, you just end up working for a tiny wage that won’t get you anywhere.”

Reverse Migration Grows as U.S. Border Tightens

The flow of migrants heading north through the Darién jungle has collapsed by 94% compared to the same time last year, dropping from 34,839 people in January 2024 to just 2,158 in January 2025. This sharp decline follows stricter border controls by Panama and policy changes in the U.S.

Now, instead of migrants pouring into Panama on their way north, groups are attempting to enter from Costa Rica on their way south—retracing their steps in a painful and costly reversal.

Many, like Castillo and Orozco, are not simply returning to Venezuela, where economic conditions remain dire. They are looking to restart their lives in countries they once called home, places where they had jobs and stability before being tempted by the American dream.

A Dangerous Road Back

For those heading south, the journey remains perilous. Just last week, a boat carrying 21 people—mostly Venezuelans and Colombians—capsized off the Panamanian coast. While 20 survived, an 8-year-old Venezuelan girl tragically lost her life.

Despite the dangers and the hardships, the reverse migration trend underscores a stark reality: many of these migrants were never true asylum seekers. They were economic migrants who left behind stable lives in search of higher wages. Now, disillusioned and often in debt, they are making their way back—hoping to rebuild what they once had before they risked it all.

When a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Austria by a Syrian refugee who pledged allegiance to ISIS, the world barely took notice. It was yet another tragic, random act of violence in the news cycle—except it wasn’t random. Authorities found an ISIS flag in the attacker’s home. He was radicalized online. And he was following a playbook that has been in circulation for years, waiting for the right conditions to spark a resurgence.

Those conditions are here.

ISIS isn’t just making a comeback—it’s been waiting in the shadows, watching, recruiting, and preparing. And right now, global security efforts are being scaled back, giving them exactly what they need: less resistance. While the world thought ISIS had been defeated, they were actually regrouping, recruiting online, and infiltrating via immigration into Europe and the U.S. This story isn’t over—it may just be getting started, and the next chapter could be even worse.

A Global Fight Against ISIS

The fight against ISIS was never just about the U.S. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) played a massive role in dismantling the so-called caliphate, losing over 12,000 fighters in the process. They did this with U.S. backing, intelligence, and air support, but they bore the brunt of the ground war. European and Middle Eastern nations also contributed to efforts in counterterrorism, cyber warfare, and military strikes.

But now, that collective effort is fading.

Recent ISIS-Linked Attacks

ISIS-affiliated violence is on the rise again:

• Austria (2025): A Syrian asylum seeker radicalized online stabbed a 14-year-old boy to death and injured five others in Villach.

• Somalia (2025): ISIS fighters launched deadly assaults on military bases, leading to clashes with security forces.

• Syria (2025): A growing number of ISIS sleeper cells have attacked Syrian Democratic Forces and civilians.

• Iraq (2024): A bombing in Baghdad killed dozens, claimed by an ISIS affiliate.

• Turkey (2024): Authorities foiled a planned terrorist attack in Istanbul, arresting suspects with ties to ISIS.

Syria’s Power Vacuum and the Perfect Storm for Extremists

The Middle East is once again in chaos. Syria is leaderless. The power vacuum left behind is exactly the kind of environment that breeds extremism. ISIS fighters, who never truly left, are emerging from hiding, seizing weapons from abandoned military stockpiles, and reorganizing. They are finding ungoverned spaces to train, recruit, and spread their propaganda.

And what is happening? The U.S. and its allies are pulling away.

The Biden administration has cut aid that supported Kurdish forces who helped dismantle ISIS in the first place. International funding once kept prisons in Syria operational—prisons that house thousands of ISIS fighters. Now, with that funding slashed, there is growing fear of prison riots and mass breakouts. If that happens, thousands of battle-hardened jihadists will be free to launch attacks across the world.

The Digital Battlefield – ISIS Is Winning Online

ISIS doesn’t need territory to be deadly. They have adapted. Their battlefield is digital, and their recruitment efforts online have been disturbingly effective. The Austrian attacker? Radicalized through ISIS propaganda on the internet. And he’s not alone.

Social media platforms, despite their best efforts, remain breeding grounds for extremist content. Encrypted messaging apps make it nearly impossible to track recruitment. Young, disaffected men—whether in Europe, the U.S., or the Middle East—are being lured in through propaganda videos, Telegram chats, and even gaming platforms.

The playbook is simple: find an alienated individual, feed them a cause, and push them toward action.

And it’s working. ISIS-affiliated attacks are happening again in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In Somalia, they’ve launched deadly assaults on military bases. In Syria, they are regaining ground.

And soon, they’ll be targeting the West again.

The World Cannot Afford to Step Back

While the U.S. played a key role in dismantling ISIS, it was never the only force capable of holding them back. The Kurds fought on the ground, regional forces engaged in counterterrorism, and international coalitions provided crucial intelligence. But as Western nations reduce military presence, cut funding, and ignore the growing digital threat, they are creating an opening for ISIS to return in full force.

We’ve seen this story before. In 2011, when American troops left Iraq, it created the exact conditions that allowed ISIS to rise in the first place. History is repeating itself, and this time, the threat extends far beyond the Middle East.

Stopping ISIS requires sustained global cooperation—not just military action but intelligence-sharing, digital counterterrorism efforts, and funding to stabilize the regions where ISIS thrives. If the world ignores this threat, we will pay for it—sooner rather than later.

ISIS isn’t dead. It was just waiting. And now, it’s waking up. The question is: will we stop it before it’s too late?

Did you think the internet was just a tool for communication? Think again.  It's become a battleground for psychological warfare. One of the most insidious threats in this space is Doppelgänger, a Russian disinformation campaign designed to divide Americans against each other by infiltrating social media with fake accounts, inflammatory content, and deceptive narratives.

How Doppelgänger Works: A Masterclass in Digital Deception

Doppelgänger is not a single entity but a coordinated network of fake social media accounts, cloned websites, and AI-powered bots that masquerade as real people and media sources. The goal? To amplify existing societal divisions, provoke outrage, and weaken trust in American institutions.

1. Creating Fake Social Media Accounts

The campaign relies on armies of fake profiles, each carefully crafted to blend into specific communities and interest groups. These accounts:

• Use AI-generated profile pictures or stolen images from real users.

• Have generic or misspelled names (e.g., “John_Smith77” or “Sarah_Willams” instead of “Williams”).

• Lack a verifiable history—often created just weeks or months before they start posting politically charged content.

• Follow a mix of real users and other fake accounts to make them seem legitimate.

2. Targeting Polarized Groups

Doppelgänger does not create new issues; instead, it weaponizes existing tensions by tailoring messages to specific audiences. Some tactics include:

• For Conservatives: Fake accounts push content suggesting that elections are rigged, crime is out of control, or that the U.S. government is suppressing free speech and religion.

• For Liberals: They promote narratives that law enforcement is irredeemably corrupt, that certain groups are perpetually oppressed, or that America’s institutions cannot be reformed but must be dismantled.

• For Minority Communities: Bots spread fake news about discrimination, police brutality, or foreign policy decisions to erode trust in the government and law enforcement.

• For Veterans & Military Families: They exploit patriotism and distrust of the government by spreading conspiracy theories about military funding, treatment of soldiers, or secret government agendas.

3. Flooding Social Media With Provocative Content

Once these fake accounts gain a following, they unleash a firehose of provocative, misleading, and divisive content. Examples include:

• Misleading memes that distort facts about elections, social justice issues, or international conflicts.

• Fake news articles cloned from reputable media outlets but edited to contain false or misleading claims.

• Manipulated videos designed to make political figures appear incompetent, corrupt, or extreme.

• AI-generated comments on high-profile posts, inflaming debates by posing as passionate partisans.

These tactics trap real users into emotionally charged debates, leading them to spread misinformation unknowingly. The more viral the content, the more effective it becomes in shifting public perception.

4. Orchestrating Hashtag Campaigns & Comment Storms

Doppelgänger also manipulates the algorithmic nature of social media by coordinating massive waves of fake engagement. Here’s how:

• Coordinated hashtags: Bots push controversial hashtags (e.g., #RiggedElection, #DefundThePolice, #FakePandemic) to make them trend.

• Comment storms: Dozens of fake accounts flood the replies of journalists, politicians, or influencers with nearly identical inflammatory comments to create the illusion of widespread sentiment.

• Fake influencer personas: Some fake accounts operate like influencers, gaining followers and trust before dropping divisive posts that sway public opinion.

5. Playing Both Sides to Keep the Chaos Going

One of the most devious aspects of Doppelgänger is that it doesn’t favor one political side—it plays both sides to maximize division. For instance:

• Fake conservative accounts claim Democrats are destroying the country.

• Fake liberal accounts claim Republicans are leading America toward authoritarianism.

• Fake “neutral” accounts pose as independent voices but subtly encourage distrust in institutions, media, and the democratic process.

Real-World Impact: How Doppelgänger Has Influenced Americans

This campaign has had real consequences, influencing public discourse, elections, and even protests. Examples include:

• 2020 Election Interference: Doppelgänger pushed both "election fraud" and "voter suppression" narratives to sow chaos regardless of the outcome.

• COVID-19 Misinformation: The network spread contradictory messages—some accounts pushed anti-vaccine propaganda, while others claimed the pandemic was far worse than reported, further dividing the public.

• George Floyd Protests: Some fake accounts encouraged violent responses, while others pushed conspiracy theories that the protests were staged.

How to Recognize a Doppelgänger Account

To fight back, you must learn to spot fake social media accounts:

1. Profile Picture Test: Run the image through a reverse search (like Google Reverse Image or TinEye). If it appears elsewhere, it’s likely stolen or AI-generated.

2. Posting Patterns: Fake accounts post non-stop, often at all hours, since they operate from different time zones.

3. Weird Followers & Engagement: They may have lots of followers but minimal personal interactions (no birthday posts, no family pictures, no casual conversations).

4. Suspicious Language: Awkward phrasing, excessive typos, or a lack of regional slang can indicate a non-native English speaker running the account.

5. Content Focus: If the account only posts about politics, never about hobbies, family, or daily life, it’s likely fake.

What You Can Do to Stop Doppelgänger

You’re not powerless against this disinformation war. Here’s how to fight back:

• Verify Before You Share: Always check multiple sources before sharing sensational news.

• Report Suspicious Accounts: If something feels off, report the account to the platform.

• Don’t Engage with Bots: Trolls and fake accounts thrive on engagement. Ignoring them weakens their impact.

• Educate Others: Talk to friends and family about these tactics so they don’t fall victim.

Conclusion: A Battle for the American Mind

Doppelgänger is not about convincing you to support Russia—it’s about tearing Americans apart from within. By amplifying anger, fear, and distrust, this campaign weakens the U.S. without firing a single bullet.

The best defense? Awareness, critical thinking, and unity. If we recognize and reject these manipulative tactics, we can fight back against the invisible war being waged in our social media feeds.