André Ventura shared a video alleging that “gypsies abuse horses” and questioning whether the left and PAN would remain silent because of this specific community. However, the images depict mistreatment in Egypt in 2018.
Claim: “gypsies abuse horses”
On Wednesday, November 26, the president of Chega shared a video showing two individuals whipping a horse that collapsed on the road while pulling a cart, with the caption “gypsies abuse horses”:
Eu nem consigo ver este vídeo todo. Gostava de saber se a esquerdalhada e o PAN ficam em silêncio por ser esta comunidade específica? Uma sociedade evoluída trata bem os animais, ficar em silêncio é cumplicidade! pic.twitter.com/s9MzlmY5T2
— André Ventura (@AndreCVentura) November 26, 2025
“I can hardly watch this whole video. I’d like to know if the left and PAN remain silent because of this specific community? An evolved society treats animals well, staying silent is complicity!” André Ventura wrote in the post, which has surpassed three million views on various social media platforms.
Facts: Images recorded in Egypt seven years ago
A simple reverse search of some frames of the video reveals several articles showing that the images are not recent, were not recorded in Portugal, and are unrelated to the gypsy community. The original video dates back to 2018, distributed as part of investigations and allegations by PETA regarding animal abuse in tourist transport in Egypt, especially near the Giza Pyramids.
The version shared by André Ventura was edited to remove location details, but photos and videos from PETA confirm that the setting does not correspond to Portugal but rather to an Arab country.
According to PETA’s denunciations, Egyptian authorities and the tourism industry have not yet eradicated this type of animal exploitation for tourism or the mistreatment, although some operators have started to refuse such services.
The correct identification of the country was also shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by a critical account of Chega, calling it another example of “deliberate manipulation.”
“André Ventura lied again. He shared a cropped video to hide where it was recorded, insinuating that animal violence was the work of gypsies in Portugal. But the video is from Egypt and the attackers are local. Deliberate manipulation to spread hate,” reads a tweet published on Thursday.
Lusa Verifica questioned Chega and its leader about whether they knew the date, location, and context of the video, and what elements they had to associate the images with the gypsy community, but received no response.
In December, André Ventura is expected to stand trial for posting billboards with the phrase “gypsies must obey the law” in various parts of the country during the presidential campaign running until mid-January.
The special personality protection action was brought by six members of the gypsy community, claiming the billboards “send the message that gypsies do not obey the law,” which “stigmatizes and humiliates the gypsy people as a whole” and “offends the moral integrity and right to dignity” of those involved.
The trial to decide if André Ventura will be required to remove the billboards was scheduled to begin today, November 27, but he requested a postponement due to the State Budget vote for 2026. A new date has not yet been decided, with the court asking lawyers to indicate their availability for December 16 and 18.
Lusa Verifica Assessment: False
It is false that the video shared by Chega president André Ventura, claiming “gypsies abuse horses,” illustrates animal mistreatment by this community. The images were recorded in Egypt in 2018 and were disclosed by PETA as part of an investigation into the mistreatment of horses and camels used for tourist transport.
