Madrid – Vox has expelled Javier Ortega Smith from the party, effective immediately, for disobeying a directive from the party’s national executive committee, according to multiple reports. The decision stems from Ortega Smith’s refusal to relinquish his position as Vox’s spokesperson in the Madrid City Council.
The party’s national executive committee voted unanimously on February 12 to replace Ortega Smith with Arantxa Cabello López, a fellow city council member, as the group’s spokesperson. The directive was formally communicated to all council members on February 16, requesting immediate implementation, but Ortega Smith continued to act as spokesperson, prompting the disciplinary action.
According to a statement reported by El Español, Vox considers Ortega Smith’s actions a “disobedience” of a valid resolution and a breach of internal party discipline. The expulsion is considered precautionary pending a full disciplinary procedure.
The move marks a significant escalation in internal tensions within Vox, with reports indicating a growing rift between Ortega Smith and the party leadership, led by Santiago Abascal. Prior to this expulsion, Ortega Smith had already been removed from his position as spokesperson on the Justice Committee in the Congress of Deputies and had previously lost his position as deputy spokesperson in the lower house.
Arantxa Cabello López has been formally designated as Ortega Smith’s replacement. Vox has warned that any council members who do not recognize Cabello’s authority as spokesperson will also face precautionary expulsion. Ortega Smith reportedly convened a group meeting without authorization from the latest spokesperson and continued to use his official title and powers.
Ortega Smith, one of the founding members of Vox, reportedly accused the party leadership of voting for his removal “without debate and in 2 minutes,” characterizing the committee as “decorative.”
The decision comes amid ongoing debate over municipal taxes in Madrid. In October 2025, Vox council members, including Ortega Smith and Cabello, publicly criticized the city’s garbage collection fees, alleging they were being incorrectly applied to parking spaces. Cabello, at the time, stated that parking spaces were not intended to be subject to these fees, and called for residents to appeal the charges.
