Superstar singer Ricky Martin is facing a domestic dispute restraining order in Puerto Rico.
The order was signed Friday. Authorities visited an upscale neighborhood in the north coastal town of Dorado, where Martin lives, to try to serve the order, police spokesman Axel Valencia told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Martin’s publicist has denied the allegations in a statement shared with People and El Vocero, a newspaper in Puerto Rico.
“The allegations against Ricky Martin that lead to a protection order are completely false and fabricated,” the statement said. “We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Martin’s representative for the statement and additional comment.
It was not immediately known who requested the restraining order. Valencia said he could not provide further details because the order was filed under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law.
“Up until now, police haven’t been able to find him,” Valencia noted.
El Vocero said the order states that Martin and the other party dated for seven months. The report quotes the order as saying they broke up two months ago, but the petitioner says Martin did not accept the separation and has been seen loitering near the petitioner’s house at least three times.
“The petitioner fears for his safety,” El Vocero quoted the order as saying.
AP has not obtained a copy of the order.
Valencia said that the order prohibits Martin from contacting or calling the person who filed it and that a judge will later determine at a hearing whether the order should remain in place or be lifted. He added that usually orders are implemented for at least a month.
Valencia noted that the person who filed for the restraining order did not contact police, which would have involved prosecutors determining if there was enough evidence to file charges. Rather the request went straight to the court.
In 2018, Martin revealed he had married his longtime boyfriend, artist Jwan Yosef. The couple quarantined together with their four kids and Martin’s mother in the early days of the pandemic.
“Your self-esteem gets so affected when you go on social media and see everybody working out, but the last thing I want to do is pick up a dumbbell,” Martin told USA TODAY in June 2020. “We have a little room where my husband works out, and I pass by, say hi and keep walking. It’s just not where I’m at at this point.”
Last summer, Martin told People the couple hoped to have more children.
Martin’s former manager, Rebecca Drucker, filed suit against the singer last week for $3 million in unpaid commissions, according to legal documents obtained by multiple publications, including Variety and Deadline.
Contributing: Danica Coto, The Associated Press, and Kim Willis, USA TODAY
