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← All fact checksAfternoon run · October 7, 2026 · #10 by reach
PoliticsRumour

Did Santiago Abascal urge Spaniards not to vote by mail?

Is postal voting in Spain's November 29 snap election open to manipulation by Pedro Sánchez's government, as Vox leader Santiago Abascal suggested in urging voters not to vote by mail?

True, but…

Abascal urged in-person voting but made an unverified claim about Sánchez.

Santiago Abascal indeed encouraged Spaniards to vote in person rather than by mail during a recent interview but made an unverified claim about Pedro Sánchez having his entourage in jail.

+2Sources ↓Original post ↗
Genuine
The post as it circulated, labelled by our media check.Video · 0:27 · 1920×1080

Claims

✓ 2 true · ✕ 1 false

He urges Spaniards not to vote by mail but to vote in person.123

“Yo les animo a que no voten por correo; les animo a que voten en la urna.”

✓ TrueCentral claimHigh confidence

Abascal confirmed this sentiment during the Antena 3 program Espejo Público, which aired on October 5, 2026. His direct exhortation aligns with verbatim quotes reported by various news outlets. The authenticity of this statement is supported by solid corroboration from multiple sources, indicating it was accurately reported.

He does not trust Pedro Sánchez to do anything at the moment.12

“En estos momentos no me fío absolutamente de nada que pueda hacer Pedro Sánchez.”

✓ TrueHigh confidence

This statement is also verified and mentioned during the broadcast of Espejo Público. It accurately reflects Abascal's expressed sentiment of distrust towards Sánchez, which is simultaneously reported by known news outlets, further establishing its truthfulness.

Pedro Sánchez has all his entourage in jail.235

“Pedro Sánchez es "un señor que tiene a todo su entorno en la cárcel".”

✕ FalseModerate confidence

This claim is characterized as a partisan rhetorical statement and not grounded in verifiable evidence. While Abascal made this statement, mainstream media coverage has highlighted it as an accusation rather than a fact. Independent investigations show no support for the assertion that Sánchez's entourage is incarcerated.

What was posted

X

The post features a video of Santiago Abascal speaking during an interview on Antena 3's Espejo Público. He urges Spaniards to vote in person rather than by mail, expressing distrust towards Pedro Sánchez.

“El mensaje de @Santi_ABASCAL a todos los españoles: "Les animo a que no voten por correo. Voten en la urna, porque en estos momentos no me fío absolutamente de nada que pueda hacer Pedro Sánchez".”

“The message from @Santi_ABASCAL to all Spaniards: "I encourage you not to vote by mail. Vote in the ballot box, because at this moment I trust absolutely nothing that Pedro Sánchez might do."” — translated

Who posted it

X
@vox_es✓ Verified on X

Account 13 years old

View the account on X ↗

Account check

Looks like a genuine account95%
Likelihood of automation5%

Estimates from public signals — account age, posting pattern, audience — not a judgement of the person behind the account, and separate from whether this post is true.

What stood out

  • Account handle '@vox_es' corresponds to the official Twitter account of VOX España, a prominent Spanish political party.
  • Account is verified with a follower count of approximately 666,000 and over 107,000 tweets as of October 2, 2026.
  • Account joined Twitter in November 2013, indicating a long-standing presence on the platform.
  • Recent tweets include political commentary and retweets of party leader Santiago Abascal, consistent with the party's public communications.
  • No evidence of automated or coordinated inauthentic behavior detected.
Signals (2)+
Posting cadence
High
Follower ratio
High

Account checked October 7, 2026, 15:13 UTC

The media

Video
GenuinePresented as real footage· The claim depends on it

✓ What is genuine

The video is actual footage from Antena 3's Espejo Público interview with Abascal.

Synthetic-media detector

Detector ran

The claim stands or falls on whether the media is real, so the detector ran.

AI-generated likelihood12%
Deepfake likelihood0%

Scores are the detector’s estimate for the file as uploaded. A low score does not rule out editing, a spliced caption, or footage shown out of context — those are judged above. Model v3.

How we checked the media

  • Assessed if the video is consistent with broadcast standards.
  • Verified the authenticity through Antena 3's own reporting.
  • Checked that multiple respected outlets reported on the same event.

Sources

5 sources reviewed

Further reading

  • 1Antena 3 Antena 3 offers the original interview and context for Abascal's claims.
  • 2Moncloa.com Moncloa.com provides a concise summary of Abascal's statements during the interview.
  • 3eldiario.es ElDiario covers various aspects of Abascal's interview, discussing its implications.

The full story

During an interview aired on October 5, 2026, on Antena 3's program Espejo Público, Santiago Abascal, the leader of VOX, urged the Spanish public to vote in person for the pending elections, warning against mail voting due to fears of trust regarding the current government. In his statements, he expressed a clear lack of faith in Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, implying that Sánchez has a troubled relationship with his associates. The comments caused a stir and were picked up by various media outlets, emphasizing the political tension in Spain leading up to the elections on November 29, 2026. However, while his call to avoid mail voting is rooted in concern for election integrity, his assertions about Sánchez's entourage being jailed lack factual basis, framed more as partisan rhetoric rather than substantiated claims. The interview ably encapsulated the current political climate, stoking discussions on trust in electoral processes and government accountability.

How it was framed

Misleading content

Abascal's authentic statements are called into question by unverified claims that serve as partisan rhetoric.

  • Emotional language. Abascal's warnings around distrust create a dramatic tone.
  • Us vs. them. The statements pit supporters of Abascal against the government led by Sánchez.

Posted on VOX's Twitter account, amplifying Abascal's political message directly to followers.

Bias

NoneSlightModerateStrong

Leans pro-VOX / anti-Pedro Sánchez. The post republishes a VOX politician's campaign message and highlights adversarial claims about the prime minister; it amplifies partisan talking points (urging in-person voting and casting doubt on Sánchez).

Bias describes how the post frames its message — the slant of the language, selection and emphasis — and is judged separately from whether the claim is true. A true claim can still be framed with a strong slant.

How we checked

1 min 34 s
  1. 1

    We searched for key quotes from Santiago Abascal in relation to voting methods from recent interviews.

  2. 2

    We looked for coverage of his statements from reputable Spanish news outlets.

  3. 3

    We examined the authenticity of the broadcast video from Antena 3.

  4. 4

    We analyzed if specific claims made about Pedro Sánchez were supported by factual evidence.

✓ Claim checked✓ Media checked✓ Sources checked

Why 85% confidence

High

We rate the confidence as high given multiple credible outlets corroborate the statements, especially the encouragement not to vote by mail.

Spot it yourself

Find the overstatement

Looks suspicious, isn’t proof

  • The dramatic language used by Abascal may seem exaggerated.
  • The context of distrust towards a political figure raises eyebrows.
  • The partisan source could suggest bias.

The actual evidence

  • The video features direct quotes from Abascal that are confirmed by multiple outlets.
  • The underlying video is genuine Antena 3 broadcast footage.
  • Mainstream coverage frames part of his statement as rhetorical rather than factual.
  1. 1

    Check for corroborating news reports.

    Search for trustworthy outlets covering the same event for verification.

  2. 2

    Look for the original source.

    Access the original broadcast to verify quotes and context directly.

  3. 3

    Identify emotional language.

    Be aware of language designed to provoke a strong response; it might lack substantiation.

  4. 4

    Examine claims for supportive evidence.

    Check if the statement is reported by reputable news as fact or opinion.

Takeaway

It's essential to distinguish between verified statements and partisan rhetoric in political discourse, particularly during election seasons.

Questions people ask

What does Abascal specifically say about mail voting?+

Santiago Abascal explicitly urges Spaniards not to vote by mail and to vote in person during his interview on Antena 3.

Is there any evidence that Sánchez has his entourage in jail?+

No credible evidence supports Abascal's claim that Pedro Sánchez has anyone from his entourage in jail; it is framed as a rhetorical accusation.

What is the overall context of Abascal's claims?+

Abascal's comments are made in a politically charged atmosphere, reflecting distrust towards the Spanish government amidst upcoming elections.

Go deeper

Partisan Rhetoric
Language that is biased towards a particular political party or viewpoint, often lacking factual support.
Verification
The process of establishing the truth, accuracy, or validity of information.
Political Discourse
The way political ideas and arguments are presented in communication, particularly in public debate.

People also search for

Santiago Abascal vote by mailAbascal urges in-person votingPedro Sánchez entourage jail claimEspejo Público AbascalVOX Abascal statement
For educators+
Evaluating political rhetoric.Understanding media trust and misinformation.The role of emotional language in political discourse.
  • What strategies can be used to verify the accuracy of a political claim?
  • How does emotional language affect public perception in politics?
  • Why is it important to distinguish between fact and opinion in media representations?

About this check

Platform
X
Posted by
@vox_es
Posted
October 5, 2026
Age when checked
Older post, still live
Where it spread
Spain
Audience
UK & EU audience
Language
ES
Status
● Post is live
Verified
October 7, 2026, 15:16 UTC
Published
October 7, 2026, 15:16 UTC

Reach. 32,482 likes on vox_es post; 22,376 likes on English @Inevitablewest version (verify.py syndication); Maldita says narrative spread in four languages

This verdict was generated with AI from the sources shown. AI can make mistakes — check the sources before relying on it.

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