In recent weeks, the Vox party has found itself at the center of a high-profile internal crisis centered around the youth movement Revuelta. Party leader Santiago Abascal has publicly commented on the situation only once, emphasizing that Vox demands transparency but is not responsible for the scandal. Nevertheless, tensions within the organization are growing, and the consequences could impact not only the regional elections in Extremadura but also the party’s overall stability.
At the heart of the conflict is the fate of significant funds raised amid a wave of support for victims of the flooding (dana) in Valencia. After public statements criticizing state inefficiency and calls for solidarity, suspicions arose that some of the collected money may have remained with the organizers. This has jeopardized trust in the party and ignited a wave of discontent among both activists and leadership.
Rising tensions
Revuelta was established in 2023 as a platform for youth activism with a right-wing orientation. The group made its debut at a mass rally against amnesty in Madrid, where young activists were given the stage before a crowd of one hundred thousand. Soon after, Revuelta became a tool for organizing protests outside the PSOE headquarters on Calle Ferraz.
The movement gained particular prominence after the flooding in Valencia, when Vox youth actively took part in distributing aid and cleaning up affected areas. The party leadership urged donations through Revuelta to ensure targeted support. However, it soon became clear that the organization’s financial activities remained opaque and its structure did not adhere to strict party rules.
Internal disagreements
In October 2024, tensions reached a peak. Abascal expressed his dissatisfaction when Revuelta announced a certain initiative without coordinating the details with leadership. In the end, the event turned out to be harmless—a park was repainted in the colors of the national flag—but similar episodes irritated party leaders. Sometimes, the youth even acted against Vox’s allies, which only deepened the rift.
In March 2025, Abascal’s advisor Kiko Méndez-Monasterio gathered Revuelta representatives in the Madrid tavern Casamata. Lawmakers close to the youth movement attended the meeting, where an ultimatum was delivered: Revuelta must align itself with the party line. Vox leadership voiced dissatisfaction over the lack of financial transparency and the fact that the organization was still not officially registered, while fundraising was conducted through the outside association Asoma.
Leadership change
After the arrival of Vox’s new head of communications, Álvaro Zancajo, President of Revuelta Jaime Hernández Zúñiga, known as El Pelos, and his associate Santiago Aneiros were dismissed from the party. Both soon founded their own production company, Picaporte, continuing to work with the party on a commercial basis.
A decision was soon made to appoint a coordinator from the Solidaridad union to oversee the youth organization’s activities. The aim was to integrate Revuelta into the union’s structure, strengthening its position through youth involvement and resources. However, part of Revuelta’s leadership opposed the merger, escalating the conflict.
Financial issues
In October 2024, a meeting was held at the Disenso office, where party secretary Montse Lluis demanded that Revuelta’s general secretary, Pablo González Gasca, account for suspicious expenses and provide a full financial report. It was decided to conduct an external audit.
At the next meeting at Vox headquarters in Bambú, party and Revuelta representatives discussed financial matters. The party leadership insisted on access to the accounts after discovering that the organization had failed to meet tax obligations and did not transfer €105,000 to the victims. Suspicions arose regarding possible fraud and misuse of the Asoma association.
Conflict escalation
Revuelta’s president agreed to disclose financial documents only under conditions of confidentiality, but the party refused. Soon, he was no longer invited to meetings, and the remaining members of the organization were forced to sign papers to dissolve the association and transfer the remaining funds to charities.
González Gasca refused to sign the documents, which sparked a series of mutual accusations and sanctions. Vox appealed to regulatory authorities, while former Revuelta executives filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office on suspicion of embezzlement. Gasca secretly recorded negotiations with the party leadership, and the audio recordings were soon leaked to the media. As a result, all three opposition leaders faced disciplinary measures, and cooperation with Picaporte was terminated.
The scandal affected both sides: soon after, allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against one of the former Revuelta executives, leading to his resignation as head of Vox’s network division.
