In Latin America, where the death penalty is all but abolished, the issue occasionally resurfaces in public debate.
Some advocate for its reinstatement, arguing that harsh punishment is necessary to combat violent crime.
For instance, in March, President Dina Boluarte of and her cabinet sparked discussions about reintroducingthe death penalty for individuals convicted of child rape.
However, misinformation is often part of the conversation, as in a recent claim that says, “China recommends the death penalty to Peru and Latin American countries to achieve development.”
took a closer look at this claim.
Did China call for the death penalty to be used in Latin America?
Claim: “Former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao recommended that countries in Latin America and Central America, including Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, implement the death penalty as a solution to the insecurity crisis and, above all, as a means to achieve development,” according to a Facebook post shared by around 35,000 users.
The post (pictured above) also claims that Wen Jiabao supported applying the to corrupt politicians, reducing their salaries, and even proposed reducing the working age to 16.
Similar posts have also circulated on TikTok, and other platforms, spreading the same claim.
DW Fact check: Unproven
There is no credible evidence to suggest that the former Chinese official ever made such statements linking capital punishment with development.
A search for relevant keywords in both Spanish and Chinese yields no credible news reports or official records to support the claim. There is also no trace of such a statement on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of .
According to official Chinese media, Wen Jiabao addressed the topic of the death penalty during a press conference on March 14, 2005, held in connection with the 10th National People’s Congress.
Responding to a question from a German journalist, he stated: “Given China’s national conditions, the country cannot abolish the death penalty, but it will ensure through a system that death sentences are handed down with caution and fairness.”
This is the only documented public statement by Wen Jiabao on the issue—and it refers strictly to China’s domestic context. He made no mention of Latin America or recommendations for other countries.
The claim has been circulating for years, with several websites publishing it without citing credible sources as early as 2015. However, Wen Jiabao’s term as Premier of China ended in 2012, making it highly unlikely that he made such a statement in 2015 or later.
The image: Is it Wen Jiabao?
In the image attached to the post, there is a photo of Wen Jiabao that looks noticeably different from other publicly available images of the former Chinese Premier. Several details in this particular picture do not match his well-known appearance.
In photos taken before 2012, when he was still in office, Wen Jiabao is typically seen with a receding hairline and thin hair, common for a man of his age.
However, in the photo shared in the post, his hairline appears full and not receding. His nose and lips, too, look different from those in other images—his lips in the post are small and upturned, but in other pictures, they appear fuller and less pronounced.
Additionally, Wen Jiabao is known to have some blemishes on his face in many public images, but none appear in the image attached to the post. Even his ears seem to have a different shape in this particular photo.
A reverse image search of the picture on the claim reveals no conclusive proof of who the person might be.
Can the death penalty help Latin America combat crimes?
The death penalty is a controversial topic, and research generally shows that it does not have a significant deterrent effect on crime rates. Many countries with lower crime rates do not employ the death penalty.
The Death Penalty Information Center, a non-profit organization, states that studies consistently show no meaningful evidence that the death penalty deters crime. Murder rates in states without the death penalty have generally been lower than those in states that use it. Legal experts argue that the death penalty may even contribute to a “brutalization effect,” potentially increasing homicide rates by desensitizing the public to violence.
When it comes to corruption, there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting the idea that the death penalty serves as an effective deterrent.
Corruption is often driven by systemic factors, such as the quality of governance, economic conditions, and cultural norms.
Tackling these root causes through comprehensive reforms and promoting transparency has proven to be a more effective way of combating corruption than resorting to capital punishment.
Alternative approaches that emphasize systemic reforms and preventive measures have proven more effective in reducing crime rates and combating corruption.
Edited by: Thomas Sparrow
The post Fact check: No evidence ex-China Premier called for death penalty in Latin America appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
