A short bike ride to a meeting of EU ecology ministers by Spain’s Teresa Ribera has been drawing international criticism for the minister’s staged public relations stunt.
Ribera, Spain’s Minister of Ecological Transition, led an informal meeting of the EU’s ecology ministers on Monday, July 10th, in the Spanish city of Valladolid, located just 188 kilometers from Madrid.
When Ribera appeared pedaling down the street to the Patio Herreriano Museum in Valladolid, where the summit was held, bystanders didn’t miss the chance to record it on their cell phones and share it on social media. The minister had taken an official car from her hotel but approximately 100 meters from the museum the motorcade stopped, she mounted one of the short-term rental electric bikes available in the city and enjoyed a short bike ride—her hair blowing in the wind. Unfortunately, she was going in the wrong direction down the street while being accompanied by her motorcade.
Had she not been a minister, the fines for her infractions, from riding without a helmet to going the wrong way down the street and generally dangerous behavior, could have totaled €1,300, according to Spanish media. Additionally, she transgressed against the environment: slowing down her motorcade to the speed of a leisurely bike ride increased the car’s toxic emissions.
Reactions were to be expected, and they ranged from a tweet from Irish mixed martial arts competitor Conor McGregor to the Wall Street Journal.
The major American newspaper noted that one of the topics of the meeting was bicycle policy, following a trend throughout Europe to curb car use, particularly in cities. If Ribera thought she could save the planet with a hundred-meter bike ride, she should think again, the editors opined in a headline: “Climate Politics in One Lesson Ride a bike for 100 meters and save the planet. Or not.”
McGregor agreed.
“Ridiculous carry on. Enough! Either walk it, talk it, live it, breathe it. Or shut it!” the outspoken martial arts champion tweeted on July 12th, though the post has since been removed.
Ribera and the rest of Spain’s socialist-led government are facing an election on July 23rd and sinking in the polls, following a disastrous debate performance by Spain’s socialist president Pedro Sánchez against his main rival, Alberto Nuñez Feijóo of the centre-right Partido Popular, which took place the same day as Ribera’s bicycle stunt.
Some had initially accused Ribera of also having flown to Valladolid on the Spanish state’s private jet but her ministry confirmed she had travelled by car, after initially stating to Spanish media that she had gone by train. Spanish media confirmed that reports of a flight did not coincide with Ribera’s confirmed schedule.
