Mexican weather forecaster does not say global warming is a scam

21 March 2024
What was claimed

A weather forecaster said global warming is a scam designed to usher in a global communist takeover.

Our verdict

Incorrect. The subtitles on the video are wrong, and may be intended as a joke. The presenter actually discusses the weather conditions across Mexico and in the city of Guadalajara.

A video posted on X and linked to on Facebook features a weather forecast by Mexican weather presenter Susy Almeida, accompanied by subtitles that suggest she is saying “global warming is a scam” and that “globalists” want “climate lock downs” in order to control people.

However, when translated properly, Ms Almeida actually gives a conventional weather forecast and says nothing of the kind  

The video with false subtitles has been circulating since at least July 2023, although it has been shared again on Facebook and X this month. It has been debunked before by both Reuters and USA Today

Recently, the video has been posted with the caption: “South American Weather Reporter goes off script & accidentally tells the Truth. I’m sure Community Noters will correct translation….” And in fact, the translation does need to be corrected.

It may have been created by an X user, who may have intended it as a joke.

False or misleading claims online have the potential to harm individuals, groups and democratic processes and institutions. Online claims can spread fast and far, and are difficult to contain and correct. We’ve written fact checks about misleading subtitles before.

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What is said in the video? 

In the video, Ms Almeida can be seen presenting on television in front of a map of the Gulf of Mexico that appears to show radar imagery of forecast rain.

She then moves to the other side of the screen, which displays the current weather conditions in the city of Guadalajara, in the west of Mexico. Along the bottom of the screen, a ticker displays news stories on topics such as human trafficking penalties and the arrest of a man for firearm and drug possession. 

A logo in the bottom right corner of the screen matches that of N Más, a Mexican news brand for the company Televisa’s Noticieros service. The bottom corner also shows the time the broadcast occurred as 11:01am. While the date is not present, the outfit worn by Ms Almeida appears to match that worn by her on the morning of 12 July 2023

The subtitles on the video shared online suggest Ms Almeida said: “With all the fearing mongering about the weather, I thought I would bring you an accurate weather forecast for once. Global warming is a scam designed to usher in a global communist takeover by globalists like George Soros and Klaus Schwab and their global young leaders at the World Economic Forum. They will achieve this like they did with Covid through fear and propaganda. They want climate lock downs and CBDC’s [central bank digital currencies] so they have control over you and of course your children. Don’t worry there’s more.. The US dollar is f****d and in a debt spiral meaning inflation is stealing your life’s work. I’m not an advisor but it may be smart to buy some Bitcoin. Have a great day.” 

However, according to a USA Today translation that Full Fact has verified, she actually says: “Weather conditions… we see in the satellite image strong rain still in most of the state in the west, centre east and over the country because of a low pressure channel extending from the north to centre and the humidity for both… causing the weather conditions in the next days. What do we have today here in the city of Guadalajara? A temperature of 25 degrees (Celsius) but it’s rising up to 30. Really hot even though there’s a part that’s mostly cloudy. We have these conditions in most parts of the state. Colotlan, the highs… moderate rain, strong temperatures that go from 27 to 29 degrees.”

Image courtesy of Rodrigo Reyes Sànchez.

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