This archive report was first published on 10 November 2019.
On a chilly November morning in 2019, voters in Madrid's Hortaleza district cast their ballots in the country's fourth election in as many years. The area's residents were on many minds, particularly in relation to the rising support for the far-right Vox party.
Earlier in the week, Vox leader Santiago Abascal had used the Hortaleza district as an example of an area plagued by crime committed by immigrant youths. Abascal's anti-immigrant rhetoric has been a key part of his party's approach, with Vox facing criticism for manipulating data to link illegal immigration to urban delinquency.
Just two days prior, Spain's human rights czar Francisco Fernandez Marugan had denounced 'xenophobic and racist messages' that linked migrant youths to crime, warning that such rhetoric could be used to justify violence against them.
As voters cast their ballots, several Spanish flags fluttered from the surrounding apartment blocks. The neighbourhood was a mix of working-class tower blocks, middle-class streets, and luxurious villas.
"We have a lot of problems with these youngsters, they are stealing every day. Here all three of us are going to vote for Vox," said Jose Morales, a 79-year-old former porter, as he sipped red wine with two friends.
Despite widespread disillusionment with Spanish politics, fear of the far-right's rise has pushed some voters to the polls. "I thought my sister wasn't going to vote in this election but thanks to Vox getting stronger, she's now going to vote for the left to stop them," said Eleuterio Risoto Roldan, a 27-year-old computer technician.
Others, however, remained unconcerned about the far-right's rise. "Vox is threatening to throw everyone out, including all the unaccompanied minors but it can't because the EU protects them," said Pilar Rodriguez, a 73-year-old Socialist supporter.
