Historian Fernando Paz is back in prominent Vox roles after the party removed him as its Albacete candidate in 2019 amid accusations of Holocaust revisionism. His views on the Nuremberg trials and therapies for homosexuality drew criticism from Spain’s Jewish community. He now lectures in Vox-linked educational programs, and the party has promoted him through its official channels.
The controversy became national news in March 2019, when Vox put Paz forward as a congressional candidate in Albacete. Jewish Telegraphic Agency reporter Cnaan Liphshiz covered the nomination on 21 March and reported Paz’s withdrawal on 23 March. International and Jewish media described Paz as a historian associated with Holocaust-denialist or revisionist claims, including remarks about the Nuremberg trials and the historical record of Nazi mass murder. Paz rejected the Holocaust-denier label, describing his departure as the result of a “media hunt.” His withdrawal was a political decision, not a judicial ruling on the historical claims at issue.
Paz’s return to public view comes as Vox strengthens ties with European far-right figures, including Martin Sellner and Eva Vlaardingerbroek, while maintaining controversial leadership in its union, Solidaridad. The party has not commented publicly on Paz’s return or answered media inquiries about his new responsibilities.
In written responses, Paz denies being a Holocaust denier and downplays the potential effect of his involvement on Vox’s relations with Jewish communities or Israeli conservatives. He says the party values his contributions and stands by his earlier statements on Franco and homosexuality, refusing to retract them.
The controversy over Paz dates to his 2016 book presentation at the Falange headquarters in Madrid, where he questioned the legitimacy of the Nuremberg trials and cast doubt on established Holocaust narratives. His comments, including claims about the motives behind the mass murder of Jews and the methods used, drew public condemnation from the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and ultimately led him to resign as a candidate. At the time, Vox was seeking closer ties with the US Republican Party and Israeli right-wing groups, so the party distanced itself from any perception of antisemitism.
Even after resigning, Paz maintained ties within Vox, particularly with Kiko Méndez-Monasterio, a basic party strategist. Over the past year, he has appeared more often at Vox events, including youth forums and exhibitions, and contributed articles to party-affiliated media. He was recently named an honorary trustee of the Denaes foundation, co-founded by Santiago Abascal, and is scheduled to teach at the Issep school, which trains Vox’s future leaders.
Party insiders say Paz’s return reflects a shift in Vox’s internal dynamics and the departure of other prominent figures. His longstanding relationships with senior members, including Abascal and Méndez-Monasterio, have helped bring him back into the fold. Sources familiar with his trajectory say his expertise and loyalty have kept him close to the party’s core, even during periods of public controversy.
Vox’s wider institutional network has also come under scrutiny over controversial political backgrounds. In 2025, El Constitucional reported that Solidaridad secretary general Jordi de la Fuente had previously led the Movimiento Social Republicano. The outlet quoted Vox national spokesperson José Antonio Fúster describing that past as “very, very remote” and “prehistoric.” In October 2026, El Constitucional reported that de la Fuente had been selected to head Vox’s congressional list in Tarragona. The case involves a separate figure, but adds context to scrutiny of how Vox handles contentious histories within its political and labor organizations.
Jewish organizations have made no public comment: neither the Federation of Jewish Communities nor ACOM has issued a statement on Paz’s renewed prominence. Sociologists and representatives of Holocaust survivor groups, but, have voiced concern about revisionist rhetoric becoming normalized within far-right parties across Europe. They say the trend risks further marginalizing vulnerable communities and weakening historical memory.
Vox’s handling of controversial figures is not unique in Spanish politics. Internal disputes and leadership challenges have also surfaced in other major parties. Francisco Camps, for example, pressed for a regional congress in Valencia, highlighting wider tensions over candidate selection and party direction. More on these internal dynamics is available in this report on PP’s leadership crisis in Valencia.
As Vox expands its influence and builds alliances with international right-wing movements, Paz’s return has revived debate over the boundaries of acceptable discourse in Spanish politics. The party’s willingness to publicly embrace previously sidelined voices may point to a wider shift in its strategy and identity ahead of future elections.
Spain’s far-right parties have long struggled to balance nationalist rhetoric with efforts to avoid associations with antisemitism and Holocaust denial. The return of revisionist figures to party structures raises questions about the course of political discourse and the ability to recover of democratic norms amid rising polarization.
