Science as an Antidote to Disinformation -

By Shantel Guillaume

We are proud to share an incisive opinion article written by our own Prof. Yelka Aguilera Santos, Science Engagement and Public Communication Officer at JLASC, published in El Diario (Bolivia) on June 13, 2026.

Titled “La ciencia frente al desafío de la desinformación” (Science Facing the Challenge of Disinformation), the article addresses one of the most urgent threats to democratic societies today: the deliberate spread of false information.

Why This Topic Matters for JLASC

At the Journal of Latin American Sciences and Culture, our central mission is the science culture construction, a paradigm that promotes science and technology as cultural values accessible to all. This article directly advances that mission by:

Diagnosing the problem: Citing the Reuters Digital News Report (2024), Aguilera notes that information credibility in Latin America does not exceed 47%, with social media serving as the primary source, a space where real and AI‑fabricated content blur together.
Proposing a solution: She highlights the paradigm of “science culture construction” advanced by Dr. Marco A. Cabero, President of Andean Road Countries for Science and Technology (ARCST), which fosters innovation, creativity, and access to the benefits of science for a dignified life.
Calling for action: Aguilera argues that science, with its methods of observation, experimentation, and reproducible evidence, offers a concrete alternative to information naivety. Critical thinking and media literacy, she writes, empower citizens to distinguish fact from manipulation.

A Multifaceted Approach

The article also cites academics Professors José Pérez, Mary Ojeda, and Douglas de Castro, who agree that combating disinformation requires educating the public on how to critically evaluate sources, promoting media literacy, and ensuring access to reliable scientific information.