From Madrid to MAGA: How Spain’s Vox forged a right-wing network with global reach

Unlike Orbán's Fidesz or Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France, which have spent decades shaping national and European politics, Vox is a relative newcomer, having only entered Spain's parliament in 2019. Pollsters expect Vox to double its parliamentary representation in Spain's upcoming Nov. 29 election, potentially making it an indispensable partner in a coalition government led by conservative People's Party chief Alberto Núñez Feijóo.

If the polls hold true, Vox would then arrive in government with an outsized global influence relative to its domestic footprint — all thanks to an international network it has quietly cultivated over the past few years. Through its Madrid-based Disenso Foundation, the party has established ties with Latin American leaders such as Argentina's Javier Milei and Chile's José Antonio Kast, while forging relationships with influential figures in the MAGA movement in Washington.

Latin American connections

Vox has been vocal about its interest in Ibero-America, which comprises Spain, Portugal and the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of the Americas. The "continent of hope," Martín Frías says, is "already ahead of Europe, including in economic terms," pointing to Milei's chainsaw approach to deregulation in Argentina and Kast's efforts to attract foreign investment in Chile through tax incentives and regulatory changes.

Transatlantic strategy

Through the Disenso Foundation, created in 2020, the party has built an institutional network of conferences, political contacts and training programs. One of its main initiatives, Foro Madrid, brings together right-wing parties, politicians and organizations from across Latin America. Vox has funneled millions of euros into Disenso over the last six years, giving it substantial resources to nurture its relationships across the pond.

The network has also given Abascal direct access to some of the region's most prominent political figures, such as Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. During an April visit to Madrid, she met with the Vox leader while notably declining an offer to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

European influence

Vox's leader, Santiago Abascal, now heads Patriots.eu, the pan-European political group that brings together Fidesz and the National Rally, as well as other far-right parties like Italy's Lega, Belgium's Vlaams Belang and Portugal's Chega. With Orbán's fall, many are now competing for the influence he once wielded.

Vox's approach to language and identity has given it an edge in Brussels. Unlike Le Pen's National Rally, whose failure to build strong ties has been partly attributed to members' refusal to engage in languages other than French, Vox members are more relaxed about speaking different languages, helping position Abascal as a safe choice to lead Patriots.

Martín Frías expressed optimism for what Spain's upcoming election would mean for Vox's broader mission in Europe. "Changes of government in European countries can lead to changes in the European Council," he said, outlining a vision of an EU made up of sovereign nations that pursue their own interests while cooperating where their goals align.