A Chinese online operation has called for the overthrow of Spain’s government, the first such direct attack by the group known as Spamouflage.
The operation posed as Safeguard Defenders, a Madrid human rights group, to stoke public anger after floods killed more than 200 people in Valencia last October.
The campaign spread its message through dozens of fake social media accounts posting in English and Spanish.
Video Campaign and Chinese Fingerprints
At the heart of the campaign sat a video showing a person in a Guy Fawkes mask. The speaker claimed to represent Safeguard Defenders and accused Spanish authorities of abandoning their citizens. Posted on X before removal, the video ended by urging viewers to topple the government.
The creators left clear traces of their Chinese origins. They spelled Valencia Governor Carlos Mazón’s name as “Carlos Ma Song” – a telling Chinese translation error. The group spread its content across Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and BlueSky.
Safeguard Defenders weathered growing attacks since 2022, when it exposed alleged Chinese police stations running secretly in European Union countries.
"The attacks have grown more creative and technical since last summer," Laura Harth, the group's Campaign Director, told Euronews.
Exploiting Local Tensions
The timing of the campaign sought to exploit real public anger. During the Valencia floods, locals chased Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI from the hard-hit town of Paiporta. A far-right group later claimed responsibility for the violence against Pedro Sánchez.
Spamouflage began its work in 2017, targeting elections in the United States and political discourse in Canada. But this Spanish campaign breaks new ground as its first open call to remove a foreign government. The operation has used millions of accounts across dozens of platforms, from mainstream sites to fringe forums like Gab.
Past actions by Spamouflage show a pattern of targeting critics. The group has repeatedly attacked Safeguard Defenders since the organisation published its findings about overseas Chinese police operations.
Laura Harth expressed worry about the growing focus on Spanish politics: "As a Spanish-based foundation, we feel particular concern over the new focus on allegations of interference in Spanish politics."
Broader Chinese Media Presence
The operation arrives amid broader Chinese media efforts in Spain. Chinese state outlets have built ties with Spanish news organisations, placing content in major papers like El País through supplements like China Watch. The national news agency EFE shares content from Chinese state outlet Xinhua.
Chinese embassy staff in Madrid have not answered media questions about the campaign.
When asked about past Spamouflage work targeting US elections, Chinese officials called such claims "prejudice and malicious speculation."
The United States government has tried to stop these activities. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice charged 34 officials from China’s Ministry of Public Security’s “Special Project 912 Task Force” for their role in influence campaigns.
Yet experts say Chinese disinformation often fails to convince foreign audiences. Clint Watts, who leads Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, told Wired magazine that China’s campaigns lag “10 years behind” similar Russian operations.
The campaigns often misread cultural context and leave obvious signs of their origins, like Chinese characters in posts.
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