Singer Ricky Martin has broken his silence on incest and stalking allegations, after a protection order and the case against him were dismissed.
A Puerto Rican judge decided not to extend a temporary restraining order against Martin on Friday (local time), as the Livin’ La Vida Loca performer publicly addressed claims of a sustained seven-month-long romantic relationship with his 21-year-old nephew.
In a virtual court hearing on Thursday, the relative “voluntarily desisted” from moving forward in the case, saying he no longer needed the protection order.
Martin, 50, said in a video statement on Friday that the weeks since the allegations were made had been “devastating” for him and his family, and that he had been unable to defend himself publicly.
“I’m in front of the cameras today because I really need to talk in order for me to start my healing process,” Martin said in the video, obtained by TMZ.
“For two weeks, I was not allowed to defend myself because I was following a procedure where the law obligated me not to talk until I was in front of the judge.”
“But I’m going to tell you the truth. It has been so painful. It has been devastating for me, for my family, for my friends. I don’t wish this upon anybody.
Martin said his first priority was to heal – and part of his therapy would involved getting back on stage to perform.
“I cannot wait to be back on stage. I cannot wait to be back in front of the cameras and entertain, which is what I do best,” he said.
Martin released a public statement on Twitter on Friday with the caption “truth prevails”.
Tweet from @ricky_martin
The order was granted on July 1 under Puerto Rico’s Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention Law, also known as Act 54, in which the nephew alleged he feared for his safety.
The Puerto Rican superstar denied the allegations, with his representatives describing them as “completely false and fabricated”.
Martin’s representative told People magazine at the time they believed their client would be fully vindicated when the “true facts come out”.
The singer also addressed his nephew in the video, telling the camera he wishes the best for “the person that was claiming this nonsense”, and that he hopes “he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy – and he doesn’t hurt anybody else.”
