Lisbon, July 30, 2026 (Lusa Verifica) - The RTP correspondent in Madrid did not claim live on air that «right-wing denialism kills and is the main fuel for the wildfires» in Spain, as André Ventura suggested in posts taken out of context.
+++ Claim: RTP journalist claimed that «right-wing denialism kills and
+++ is the main fuel for the wildfires» in Spain +++
On Tuesday, 28 July, an account on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted what it called «junk journalism» in an alleged opinion piece by RTP's correspondent in Spain, Ana Romeu, who reportedly claimed that «right-wing denialism is the main fuel for these wildfires» in the neighbouring country.
In the same post, which has now been viewed more than 53,000 times, the author argues that «RTP must be privatised to rid it of this rot» and that «in a decent country, this person would have to change careers immediately»: https://archive.ph/bg2ZT.
The tweet includes a 47-second video apparently taken from an RTP Notícias news programme, in which the journalist appears live from Navalcarnero, a town on the outskirts of Madrid, and the statement appears to be attributed to an unidentified person in the clip.
The following day, Wednesday, amidst other criticism on social media calling for the journalist's resignation (https://archive.ph/8CAHu, https://archive.ph/bS3xc and https://archive.ph/o3hEI), the leader of Chega posted a video featuring a shorter clip, lasting around eight seconds, in which the RTP journalist can be heard saying only that «denialism kills. Right-wing denialism is the main fuel for these fires».
In the post and the video, which have garnered tens of thousands of views on X, Instagram and Facebook, André Ventura asked readers whether «they don't think public television needs an urgent clear-out?» and argued that «we cannot continue to pay salaries to activists masquerading as journalists»: https://archive.ph/5hrkJ, https://archive.ph/JADdn and https://archive.ph/UlJRL.
None of the posts on the subject included a link to the alleged RTP Notícias broadcast, but Ventura's posts were removed by the end of the same day, despite his video still circulating on social media (https://archive.ph/9ur2R) and figures such as the economist and professor António Nogueira Leite continuing to criticise the journalist: https://archive.ph/7JCyV.
+++ Facts: the video is genuine, but it was taken out of context, as the
+++ journalist was paraphrasing Pedro Sánchez +++
Through several searches of the RTP Play archive, Lusa Verifica located the statements in question, which the journalist made live on Tuesday's Notícias 12 news programme at around 12:13 p.m.: https://www.rtp.pt/play/p16159/e945377/noticias-12.
Analysing the full context of the live broadcast, it is clear that the journalist was quoting from memory or paraphrasing statements made that morning by the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, whose original remarks RTP broadcast immediately during that live programme.
«A few moments ago, Pedro Sánchez spoke about the issue of the wildfires and went a little further. (…) He pointed out that more than 10 lives have been lost this year (…) and said that denialism kills, that right-wing denialism is the main fuel for these fires, and that there must be an agreement [between] all parties and, above all, the autonomous communities and all institutions, to unite in a single state pact based on scientific evidence.» At the end of the live broadcast, the journalist explained the reference to the right, noting in particular that «the far-right party, Vox, has always been a climate denier on these issues, always siding with farmers and, in a way, turning a deaf ear to science» and that «the PP [People's Party] is more moderate on this issue, but it does not commit itself either.» «[The PP] continues to argue that these fires are in fact human-made, caused either by negligence or intentionally, and that the main problem lies in rural abandonment and the failure to clear the countryside», but «what the Spanish government says is that, in fact, these are the responsibilities of the autonomous communities and that it will maintain support for the work of firefighters», arguing that «this national emergency requires a much more coordinated policy.» During the live broadcast, RTP also aired statements by the Spanish prime minister, who said that «the climate emergency is worsening year on year, and citizens are demanding that we stand united in our response, as we are doing, but also in prevention and in the reconstruction of the affected areas».
Pedro Sánchez also made a request: «I would like to make a single appeal and a single demand: to tell all political actors, all regional, provincial and local governments, that embracing climate science is the best possible fuel in the face of the climate emergency, and that acknowledging reality and the warnings of science prepares us; quite the contrary, it makes us far more resilient and keeps our population far safer.» The minister later shared this idea on their social media accounts (https://archive.ph/va2fD and https://archive.ph/r9p0e), and viewers can also verify it in the full recording of the event, which the team streamed live on YouTube: https://archive.ph/2WBm9 (from 12:49).
In that video, at 16:16, viewers can also see that Pedro Sánchez said that «it is clear that the climate emergency kills, and that climate denialism undermines those who are supposed to protect us, because it prevents us from anticipating the scale of the challenge ahead of us».
He therefore added that «it is essential to maintain mitigation and adaptation policies; it is essential to foster collaboration between administrations – in prevention and reconstruction, not just in the response» and «it is important that all political forces, and society as a whole, unite behind this common goal.» Later, after the 1:16:00 mark, in response to questions from journalists, Sánchez also stated that «in governing coalitions (…) where the PP's coalition with Vox is very much in evidence, what is happening is that there is precisely no clear and firm will to tackle the climate emergency, but rather the opposite – a denial of that climate emergency.» He therefore emphasised that he believes «that the denialism which, unfortunately, is gaining ground in some autonomous communities is the worst possible fuel for tackling the climate emergency».
The Spanish and European press also reported these statements, highlighting the criticism of «right-wing climate denialism» and the fact that Pedro Sánchez reinforced the idea that «denialism kills»: https://archive.ph/s3ypD, https://archive.ph/l2H2S, https://archive.ph/8VjLQ and https://archive.ph/ai8FS (examples).
+++ Contradictory: the journalist did not express an opinion +++
Lusa Verifica asked Chega whether André Ventura had carried out any fact-checking regarding the source of Ana Romeu's alleged statements before accusing her of being an activist masquerading as a journalist, or whether he had merely repeated an allegation circulating on social media, but received no response.
The RTP journalist clarified that they had paraphrased the Spanish prime minister's statements, which were made during the live broadcast and in subsequent programmes. «In the various live segments I presented for the RTP programme that day, I merely paraphrased what Pedro Sánchez had said in his end-of-term speech.» Ana Romeu emphasised that she presented the information without adding her own opinion, as claimed on social media. «It is not I who is expressing that opinion; I am explaining what was said by the Spanish prime minister – and, incidentally, this is nothing new. On several occasions, Pedro Sánchez has already referred to this issue and the need to reach a national pact on climate change – arguing that these very adverse climate changes, just like climate denial, kill people.» «As proof of this, he is referring not only to this year's wildfires, which claimed more than 10 lives; he also mentions storms and other disasters, such as the ‘Dana' storm in Valencia, which killed more than two hundred people in Spain in recent years,» she added.
The journalist also stated that André Ventura removed the post and apologised after RTP's News Department contacted him, providing the Chega president with the live broadcasts in which Ana Romeu referred to Sánchez's speech. Ventura reportedly claimed he was misled by what was sent to him, but Chega did not clarify to Lusa Verifica the reasons for deleting the posts.
+++ Lusa Verifica Assessment: False +++
The available evidence shows that RTP journalist Ana Romeu merely reported that «denialism kills» and that «right-wing denialism is the main fuel for these fires» in Spain during her live broadcast, contrary to suggestions in various social media posts, including one by André Ventura, who shared an excerpt without the full context of the statements.
In fact, the journalist made those remarks whilst paraphrasing the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, whose original statements RTP Notícias immediately showed during that live broadcast on Notícias 12 and in subsequent programmes.
In those remarks, the Spanish Prime Minister said that «the climate emergency kills» and that «climate denialism is the worst kind of fuel in the face of the climate emergency», referring in particular to the denialism of regional and local governments led by coalitions between the right-wing and far-right parties, the PP and Vox.
LYGA/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
