SAN JUAN — A judge has issued a restraining order against Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin, police said Saturday.
The order was signed Friday, and authorities visited an upscale neighborhood in the north coastal town of Dorado where the singer lives to try to serve the order, police spokesman Axel Valencia told The Associated Press.
“Up until now, police haven’t been able to find him,” Valencia said.
Martin’s publicist did not immediately return a message asking for 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.
El Vocero, a Puerto Rico newspaper, said the order states that Martin and the other party dated for seven months. The report quotes the order as sying 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.
The complaint was made under Law 54, also known as the Domestic Abuse Prevention and Intervention Act.
“We confirm that the Puerto Rico Police is in the process of filing a protection order, under Law 54, issued against Mr. Enrique Martín,” police said in a statement.
Police spokesman Axel Valencia told AP that the order prevents Martin from contacting the complainant and that a judge will later decide whether the order should remain in place. The petitioner of the claim has not been named.
“The allegations against Ricky Martin that lead to a protection order are completely false and fabricated,” representatives for Martin told People magazine. “We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated.”
It’s been a troubled week for the star, sometimes dubbed ‘the King of Latin Pop’ with his ex-manager Rebecca Drucker suing him for $3million in unpaid commissions. Drucker managed Martin during two separate time periods, from 2014 to 2018 and later from 2020 to 2022.
Her lawyers have filed a sometimes scathing 15-page document in support of her claim, adding, “With Rebecca at his side, Martin made millions of dollars and therefore owes Rebecca substantial commissions.”