Madrid Forum

In the document, signatories define two entities; the first is an allied "Iberosphere" of nations holding the same roots to the Iberian Peninsula and the second are left-wing groups such as the São Paulo Forum and the Puebla Group,[7] which the charter recognizes as an enemy and threat to the freedom.[11][12][13] The letter condemns leftist groups as being under the influence of Cuba, stating that they are "under the umbrella of the Cuban regime", describes part of the region as being "kidnapped by totalitarian communist-inspired regimes, supported by drug trafficking" and says that leftist groups hold an "ideological agenda" to destabilize liberal governments.[7][14][15] The letter also highlights respect for the rule of law, separation of powers, and private property.[8][15] It also called for scholars, the media, and other groups to uphold the objectives of the Madrid Charter.[15]

Delegates of Vox travelled throughout Latin America to promote and obtain signatures the manifesto, meeting with politicians in Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.[5][16][17] While promoting the charter in Ecuador, Vox delegate Hermann Tertsch said that signatures were necessary to counter "narcosocialism", arguing that "[a]ll Latin American countries are threatened by the same totalitarian project funded mainly by Venezuelan oil and drug trafficking", which Tertsch said was guided by Cuba.[16] At the meetings in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso's recently-nominated Minister of National Defense Fernando Donoso signed the document along with members of the Social Christian Party and Partido SUMA.[16]

In Mexico, the visit and signature collection event by Vox caused controversy when the National Action Party (PAN) legislators signed the charter.[18][19] PAN politicians received criticism on social media that resulted with conflicts within the party.[18] Shortly after participating with Vox, PAN politicians distanced themselves from signing the manifesto,[19] while the party's official Twitter deleted an image of PAN members meeting with Vox representatives.[20] Due to Vox's controversial visit, discussions occurred of Mexico possibly enforcing Article 33 of the Constitution of Mexico, which grants the expulsion of foreign individuals for interfering in Mexican "political affairs". Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the president of Mexico, declined this option by stating: "Mexico is a free country. I also say this so that if the gentleman of Vox, Abascal, wants to come again, he can do it. The doors of our country are open, they are always welcome. All foreigners, even if they are opponents."[21]

Peruvian investigative journalism website OjoPúblico wrote in an article discussing far-right alliances in the Americas that members of Vox travelled to Peru to obtain signatures, with the parties Go on Country of Hernando de Soto, Popular Force of Keiko Fujimori, and Popular Renewal of Rafael López Aliaga signing the document.[13][22][23] Peruvian business executives, including the owner of Willax Televisión, also participated in discussions and signed the charter.[24] Additionally, Vox created an e-participation initiative in Peru to gather signatures from Peruvian citizens.[25]

The 1st Regional Meeting of Foro Madrid was held in Bogotá in February 2022.[29][30] At the meeting, a group of fifty far-left protesters gathered to denounce the Madrid Forum, some chanting "Bogotá will be the tomb of fascism", with some individuals damaging the exterior of the hotel where the event occurred.[30] Police disperse the protesters and the forum accused leftist presidential candidate Gustavo Petro of organizing the protests.[30][31] During the event, the forum emphasized the importance of the upcoming 2022 Colombian presidential election and the 2022 Brazilian general election, saying a threat of "narco-communist threat" loomed over Latin America.[31]

During the 2nd Regional Meeting of Foro Madrid, held in Lima in March 2023, was virtually attended by leader of the forum, Santiago Abascal, who described the Sao Paulo Forum and the Puebla Group as "criminal organizations".[32][6] The forum also called for the ousting of President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, stating that the 2022 Colombian presidential election was fraudulent, alleging that he was aligned with drug traffickers and that Russia interfered with social networks to support him.[33] Peruvian newspaper El Comercio described the meeting as "An event with some radicalisms for the grandstand and no narrative that promises change from the right"[34] while Wayka described it as a "meeting of the fascist extreme right", noting that Elisabeth Dulanto Baquerizo de Miró Quesada of the family that owns El Comercio Group attended and her company helped host the meeting.[29]

• Arroyo Menéndez, Millán (2020). "Las causas del apoyo electoral a VOX en españa". Política y Sociedad. Madrid. 57 (3): 693–717. doi:10.5209/poso.69206. S2CID 241063503.
• Ferreira, Carles (2019). "Vox como representante de la derecha radical en España: un estudio sobre su ideología" [Vox as Representative of the Radical Right in Spain: A study of its Ideology]. Revista Española de Ciencia Política (in Spanish). 51 (51): 73–98. doi:10.21308/recp.51.03. ISSN 2173-9870.