Disinformation in Crisis Contexts—Perception of Russia Today’s Narratives in Ecuador

Disinformation poses a substantive challenge to democratic governance, particularly in contexts marked by foreign influence. While the broadcasting of Russia Today (RT) in Europe has received significant attention, comparatively little is known about its impact and audience reception in Latin America. This study addresses this gap by analysing Ecuadorians’ perceptions and uptake of RT’s broadcast narratives during a period of acute economic and security crisis. The objectives are (1) to establish the news narratives presented on RT, (2) to identify citizens’ perceptions of the news narratives, and (3) to determine the uptake of the narratives. A mixed methodological approach is undertaken, including narrative analysis of three audiovisual news pieces published by RT in Spanish, a survey, and three online focus groups. The results reveal the deployment of sophisticated narrative strategies that mix information with unsubstantiated claims and emotional appeals, resulting in a discernible bias favouring Russian perspectives. The findings underscore the urgency of strengthening media literacy and public policy responses in Latin America to counter the internalisation of such narratives. In addition, the research contributes to debates on information security, democratic resilience, and the protection of public opinion in vulnerable environments.