A few days ago, a screenshot of a news article from a Qatar-based media outlet started circulating on social media. The screenshot claimed that Qatar had extended a $775 million loan to Argentina for a FIFA settlement. This news was targeted at Argentine footballers Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez. The news was shared with a fake claim by many Ronaldo fans, the main one being @laligafrauds.
So this explains why Messi and Alvarez were nominated for FIFA The Best despite doing nothing. Everything is beginning to make sense now💰 pic.twitter.com/c0d5k9gRGM
— LLF (@laligafrauds) September 14, 2023
The Real Story
Upon investigation, we found the original article on Doha News’ website [archive], published on August 6, 2023. The actual headline reads, “Qatar extends a $775 million loan to Argentina for IMF debt settlement”. There was no mention of the FIFA World Cup in the original news report. In fact, Argentina’s government has confirmed that it will employ this loan from Qatar to make a payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as it anticipates the approval of a disbursement from the IMF amounting to $7.5 billion.
Qatar is loaning Argentina $775 million for an IMF debt payment.
— Doha News (@dohanews) August 6, 2023
Argentina has been grappling with an economic crisis marked by sky-high inflation and shrinking central bank reserves, to which Qatar has extended a helping hand.
Watch the video to find out more. pic.twitter.com/GNkes52HqZ
The loan is part of a facility agreement that the economy minister of Argentina, Sergio Massa, negotiated with Qatar. The IMF’s 4.033% annual interest rate will apply to the loan. Argentina is in the midst of another financial crisis, marked by hyperinflation and declining central bank reserves. The South American country is also in the process of repaying the IMF following a $44 billion loan agreement last year. The Argentines used the Qatari funds to make a payment to the IMF.
Conclusion
The screenshot circulating on social media is a digitally altered version of the original news report. Misinformation propaganda accounts are using this edited screenshot with the headline “Qatar extends $775 million loan to Argentina for IMF debt settlement” to target football players and their teams to set their narrative. Following a precise analysis and fact-checking, our team has reviewed the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread below.
1106
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 18, 2023
ANALYSIS: Fake
FACT: A digitally altered screenshot of a Qatar-based media outlet that reads Qatar extends $775 million loan to Argentina for FIFA settlement has been shared targeting the Argentine footballers Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/8jfFUcJsCc
Claim: Qatar extended a $775 million loan to Argentina for FIFA settlement.
Fact: Qatar extended a $775 million loan to Argentina for IMF debt settlement.
