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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Little threads of plasticine” is a rare card of the Spanish Memes pack, number 98 of the collection, and the 93rd best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Little threads of plasticine” meme mean?
People quote it to mock someone who downplays, with reassuring and technical words, a problem that is actually huge, exactly as Rajoy did while facing the Prestige oil spill.
Where does the “Little threads of plasticine” meme come from?
On 13 November 2002, as the tanker Prestige sank off the coast of Galicia while spilling thousands of tons of fuel oil, Mariano Rajoy, then the Spanish government spokesperson, declared at a press conference that only small strings looking like plasticine were coming out. According to eldiario.es and publico.es, the line, seen as downplaying an oil spill that polluted thousands of kilometres of coastline, has since been regularly quoted in Spain as a symbol of political denial.
- 2002Mariano Rajoy makes the "hilillos de plastilina" statement about the Prestige spill.
How to use the “Little threads of plasticine” meme
- The spokesperson called it a minor incident, little plasticine strings next to a real disaster.
- They downplayed the leak as mere little plasticine strings.
- Another reassuring statement that smells of little plasticine strings.
Also searched as
- hilitos de plastilina
- hilillos de plastilina rajoy origin
- rajoy prestige plasticine quote
- hilillos de plastilina meaning
- prestige oil spill rajoy statement 2002
The “Little threads of plasticine” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 098 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Collection | Spanish Memes pack |
| Fame | 84/100 · #93 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Little threads of plasticine” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Little threads of plasticine comes out of the Spanish Memes pack as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Little threads of plasticine”
More cards of the Spanish Memes pack
Frequently asked questions
Who said "hilillos de plastilina"?
Mariano Rajoy, then Spain’s government spokesperson, in 2002.
In what context did he say it?
While commenting on the oil spill caused by the sinking of the tanker Prestige off Galicia.
Why has the phrase stayed famous?
Because it symbolises the downplaying of a massive environmental disaster.
How do I get the Little threads of plasticine meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Little threads of plasticine” is a rare card of the Spanish Memes pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Little threads of plasticine card?
It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Prestige: los «hilitos de plastilina» de Rajoy cumplen 15 años · Aquellos «hilillos de plastilina» de Rajoy · checked on November 5, 2026.
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Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.