Ricky Martin has spoken out for the first time since a case in which his nephew claimed he had been in a sexual relationship with the singer and had subsequently been stalked by him, was dropped.
In a two-minute video obtained by TMZ, Martin called the allegations “painful” and “devastating”.
Sat on a sofa, and wearing a suit and tie, Martin, 50, said: “I’m in front of the cameras today because I really need to talk in order to start my healing process.”
He said he hadn’t been allowed to speak publicly until the case was resolved.
Martin went on to address his 21-year-old nephew directly: “I’m glad these claims were proven to be false, 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.”
He continued: “To the person who was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best, and I wish he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy, and he doesn’t hurt anyone else.
“Now, my priority is to heal… with music. I cannot wait to be back on stage. I can’t wait to be back in front of the cameras and entertain, which is what I do best.”
Martin also released a similar video at the same time, speaking in Spanish.
On Thursday, a restraining order against the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer was lifted by a court in Puerto Rico. Martin appeared at the hearing remotely from Los Angeles.
The temporary order had been obtained by his nephew, following a domestic violence complaint in which he said he feared for his safety because Martin had refused to accept his decision to end a romantic relationship, and had continued calling him and had loitered outside his home.
After the case was closed, Martin tweeted “truth prevails”.
He also included a statement by his legal team, which said: “The accuser confirmed to the court that his decision to dismiss the matter was his alone, without any outside influence or pressure, and the accuser confirmed he was satisfied with his legal representation in the matter.
“The request came from the accuser asking to dismiss the case.
“This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them. We are glad that our client saw justice done and can now move forward with his life and his career.”
Martin’s nephew’s name was redacted from the documents, but the pop star’s representatives confirmed who it was after rumours circulated online last week. He has not spoken publicly about the allegations.
Earlier this month, Martin had denied all accusations against him on Twitter, saying they were “completely false”.
Martin will perform on Friday and Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
The singer has been married to Syrian-Swedish painter Jwan Yosef since 2017, and the couple live in the north coastal town of Dorado in Puerto Rico with their two children.
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