F*cktum: Factum’s Satire Channel
In early 2023, I launched a bold experiment with Revista Factum: developing the first satire channel at an independent outlet in Central America. The premise was simple—humor is a powerful gateway to understanding complex political decisions and their real-life consequences.
F*cktum, named after a term internet trolls used to attack the outlet, flipped the script by first satirizing ourselves before turning to politicians, business elites, and government loyalists.
A recurring theme in F*cktum was the relentless accusation that we were funded by George Soros to destabilize the Salvadoran government.
The flagship show blended monologues, sketches, news dispatches, an absurd tickerline, and calls to action in a 15- to 20-minute format. I wrote every section, presented the monologues, and acted in several sketches.
Over the first two seasons, we tackled issues like corruption, political cronyism, electoral fraud, rising authoritarianism, why aspiring autocrats blame everything on George Soros, and public debt. The third season focused on the cost-of-living crisis in Central America and introduced a new character—a Gen Z woman embodying the generational struggle to make ends meet.
Fcktum* explored themes of gentrification and the cost-of-living crisis.
Between seasons, we produced special videos—F*cktum Shorts—covering major political events, like corruption scandals, the retirement of career politicians who thrived on taxpayer money, and what made government officials “so special.”
As the first satire channel of its kind, F*cktum quickly gained traction, amassing thousands of views across YouTube, Instagram, X, and TikTok. It helped Factum, traditionally favored by older audiences, reach younger viewers and those previously disengaged from politics or media.
Beyond its reach, F*cktum shaped political discourse in the region. Terms coined on the show—like “presirrey” (president-king) and “dipukids” (mocking the lack of agency in local legislatures)—have since spread across social media, cementing satire as a force in regional politics.
