How does Vox work and why hasn't it expelled the maverick Ortega Smith yet?

BarcelonaVox is completely shaping politics in the Valencian Community, but they have also destabilized the legislature in Extremadura—refusing to yield to the PP's demands—and created widespread uncertainty throughout Spain. The PP is stumbling along with Vox lurking nearby, which, unlike the multiples males Despite having diverse regional branches, the party maintains a unified approach and a very defined hierarchy. How does Santiago Abascal's party operate? Why hasn't he yet expelled Javier Ortega Smith, the only dissenting founder who has continued to challenge the party's established order, yet remains within the organization?

The far-right party functions with a strong principle of authority, which some describe as "like an army" and critics ridicule as a "sect." Disagreements are resolved through expulsions or resignations of those who refuse to comply with the leadership's directives. Therefore, it's surprising that Ortega Smith, Vox's leader in the Madrid City Council and one of the organization's founders, hasn't yet been shown the door. In this sense, the Ortega Smith factor is important for understanding the party's current modus operandi, which is more subtle than the constant "purges" he orchestrated when he was secretary general, as is still remembered internally according to sources consulted. Two years ago, in October, he launched a harsh critique of the leadership with a direct warning at a time of several resignations and a declining electoral result: "Vox wasn't born as a way of life, as a placement agency for friends," he warned at the time, adding that it couldn't be "the end for anyone." Two years later, the struggle with the leadership has continued, and he has suffered several demotions, going from vice president of the party to a mere member, although three years prior he had already suffered a setback, losing the secretary general position. But this November, he stepped down as deputy spokesperson in Congress—a position now held by Carlos Hernández Quero, just 34 years old—and publicly rebelled, also giving an interview on COPE radio: he called the decision "unfair," "wrong," and something he "couldn't understand." For now, the purger hasn't been purged himself. These purges haven't reached someone who was key to the party's expansion during the height of the independence process, while leaders like Sonia Lalanda, the former spokesperson in the Palencia City Council, have been expelled, along with... crisis with its most visible face in Castile and LeónWith the resignation of Juan García-Gallardo.

From expulsion to the heart of the decisions

Sources within the party have made it clear that Ortega Smith has not yet been expelled for several reasons: one of them being that he "holds two elected positions," city councilor and member of parliament. Although it is unknown "when he will be removed, the trend is to sideline him because he always raises his profile and challenges the national leadership," the sources say. For now, "what could be done has already been done"—removing him from his position as deputy spokesperson—and "it's a good time" for Vox's growth. They believe that "we have to be smart and choose the right moment" for the purge, if necessary. But it is clear that "he is rebelling and the time will come to expel him, because it's a matter of egos and his refusal to accept his new role." With his removal from the position of deputy spokesperson, they have already "made their point, but he is trying to push things further," and the next step will coincide with the 2027 election period because the leadership's analysis is that "it makes no sense" for him to remain part of the national executive committee. The leadership of the Madrid municipal candidacy is also at stake, where all scenarios are open because, according to several party members, "it no longer adds up electorally," and they don't see how a maverick can head the list. Therefore, eventually, if tensions can ease, there could be an agreement to include him on the list in winnable positions, but right now the atmosphere is extremely tense.

In fact, Abascal has even changed Ortega Smith's position in Congress. "He's no longer behind Santi," comments a knowledgeable source, who emphasizes that "he's likely to be sidelined." "He hasn't been kicked out yet to avoid further tension or giving him more prominence," they say. Unlike Ortega Smith, Hernández Quero is "a rising star," who comes precisely from the engine room as a speechwriter, working with party luminaries like Abascal's advisor, Kiko Méndez Monasterio, who recognized his potential to capture the "working-class vote," something that especially in Catalonia trying to make inroads into socialist strongholds.

The communication management of the Ortega Smith case, or the fact that former spokesperson Iván Espinosa de los Monteros was not expelled either –Ortega is his friend and attended in the presentation of her skilled think tank, Athena– They demonstrate a way of doing things that bears the unmistakable stamp of Vox's five key decision-makers, because nothing moves in the party unless they decide it under Abascal's leadership. Besides the leader and the current secretary general, Ignacio Garriga, there are key figures such as the party's communications mastermind, Álvaro Zancajo, as well as advisor Kiko Méndez Monasterio, and Garriga's right-hand woman, Montserrat Lluis, the deputy secretary general. If these five don't lift a finger, nobody in the party moves, as ARA confirmed. There is an iron grip.

They all form a coordination group that dictates the messages to be disseminated, the issues to be prioritized, and whether an offensive strategy is needed in any area, pressure on the PP, or whether silence is necessary to avoid jeopardizing ongoing negotiations. Everything is under control, just as Luis is the filter for municipal and regional initiatives to ensure a unified message. Zancajo is key, but so is Méndez Monasterio, who shares a communications company with Gabriel Ariza, another important figure in Vox's inner circle. Ariza's father is Julio Ariza, owner of El Toro TV, a channel with close ties to Vox. Within this group, Abascal, Lluis, and Garriga form the political action committee, defining the party's basic strategies. Garriga also handles local operations with Lluis, while international relations and alliance building are the responsibility of [the other person/group]. MEP Jorge Buxadé.