“Green hypocrites”, “tartuffes”… Many Internet users revolted at images showing Teresa Ribera, the Spanish Minister in charge of Ecological Transition, riding a bicycle to go to a climate conference. Images a priori harmless, except that Internet users accuse him of having taken a “private jet” to get to the conference, then a car and of having traveled only the last meters by bicycle. These accusations have been shared thousands of times on Facebook, Twitter or Tiktok.
FAKE OFF
The minister did not leave Madrid to join Valladolid, the city where the conference was held, by plane. She went there in a “hybrid car” indicates her office to 20 minuteswhile the rest of the delegation went there “by train”.
When she has to travel by train or plane, she uses the “tourist class”, that is to say the second class, adds the cabinet. The minister does not use the Falcon, which is the Spanish government’s private plane.
The accusation originated on Spanish social media, where netizens noted that a Falcon was traveling to Valladolid on Monday morning, the day the conference began. However, as noted it our Spanish colleagues from Maldita, the minister was already in Valladolid when the plane landed. In addition, this plane was flying empty and carrying out maneuvers, such as learned it the Spanish verification site Newtral.
Once in Valladolid, the Minister cycled from her hotel to the conference venue. She was accompanied by cars for her safety, adds the minister’s office.
Teresa Ribera was in Valladolid for a conference bringing together European ministers of the environment, while Spain has just taken over the presidency of the Council of the EU.