Vox Expels Javier Ortega Smith Following Disciplinary Action

Madrid – Vox has provisionally expelled Javier Ortega Smith, a prominent figure within the Spanish far-right party, for “disrespecting” a party order regarding the handover of the spokesperson role for the Madrid City Council, according to reports from Spanish media outlets El País and El Español.

Details of the Expulsion

The National Executive Committee initiated the disciplinary procedure on Wednesday after Ortega Smith refused to comply with a decision to replace him as spokesperson with Arantxa Cabello. The relief was unanimously approved on February 12th. Ortega Smith subsequently disregarded a meeting convened by Cabello and maintained his claim to the spokesperson position, a move interpreted by Vox as a breach of internal discipline and “disrespect.”

Continued Roles and Recent Criticism

Despite the suspension from the party’s executive functions, Ortega Smith retains his seat in the Congress of Deputies, though he has been moved to the back benches. This action follows a period of diminishing influence within Vox, as noted on February 6th, when he publicly criticized the party’s internal democracy as “clearly improvable” after losing several key positions, including deputy spokesperson in the Lower House and spokesperson in the Justice Commission. He was also removed from the Vox Executive at that time.

Ortega Smith’s Response

Following the removal of his positions, Ortega Smith expressed his loyalty to Vox and its president, Santiago Abascal. Although, he criticized Abascal for relying on intermediaries to deliver the decisions, stating, “It is the emissaries who tell you that you are dismissed, that you are separated. They don’t usually tell me that, because they know that I have always spoken frankly.”

Background on Javier Ortega Smith

Javier Ortega Smith-Molina, born August 28, 1968, in Madrid, is a Spanish lawyer and politician. According to Wikipedia, he served as Secretary-General of Vox from 2016 to 2022, making him the second most prominent figure in the party after Santiago Abascal. He holds dual Spanish and Argentine citizenship and comes from a family with a strong legal background.