El Salvador’s Bitcoin City has problems, but its first ‘citizen’ still wants to stay

A proponent of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has shared a deepfake video intended to criticize El Salvador’s adoption of Bitcoin (BTC). The clip claims to show US expat Corbin Keegan describing his decision to move from Chicago to the Gulf of Fonseca in El Salvador.

According to writer and researcher David Shares’ post on X (formerly Twitter), Keegan hoped to become the first citizen of Bitcoin City, a planned municipality that will draw geothermal power from the Conchagua volcano.

The video, which is styled like a local interest segment that might air on a local TV station, purports to show Keegan waiting despondently near the planned construction sites and sitting idly around various parts of a nondescript beach town. Text overlays cast a narrative of events that never occurred.

Corbin Keegan reponds to deepfake about El Salvador’s Bitcoin City

The video’s promoter claimed that “Keegan decided he had enough, and has now left El Salvador to come back to the US, giving up on the idea of the Bitcoin City for the time being.” The video earned thousands of views and attracted dozens of comments from viewers who believed the tall tale.

In reality, Keegan did move to El Salvador and plans to continue waiting. He believes in Bitcoin City, despite its lengthy delays, and is optimistic about becoming one of its first residents. He admitted to visiting Chicago recently, but only to attend to brief matters before returning to El Salvador as a continuing, long-term resident.

Keegan commented directly on the video, saying, “Fake news. I’m still here.” He continued, “I’m 100 percent committed all-in Bitcoin City and El Salvador like I am Bitcoin. Nice try fake news FUD.”

Read more: Explained: El Salvador’s contentious bitcoin-backed Volcano Bonds

Shares placed a clue in the first line of the post. Although disingenuous, he at least clued readers to an obvious mendacity — that Keegan was “the first citizen of the Bitcoin City.” Countries, not cities, have citizens.

In the end, despite El Salvador’s various problems and delays in building its bitcoin and USDT-funded metropolis, this week’s deepfake is an embarrassing attempt at anti-Bitcoin City propaganda. Corbin Keegan didn’t give up on El Salvador and decide to move back to Chicago. In fact, he’s been in El Salvador for three years and is still committed to residing in the country.

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