Spain’s veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday firmly denied allegations of abuse made by two former employees, a case that has dominated headlines in recent days.
‘I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me,’ the 82-year-old wrote in a statement posted on his Instagram account.
Iglesias, one of the most commercially successful Latin artists in history, has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is a Grammy winner, with a career spanning several decades.
The accusations were brought by two women — a domestic worker and a physiotherapist — who claim they were subjected to sexual and other forms of abuse while employed at Iglesias’s properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021. ALSO READ: Julio Iglesias faces sexual assault allegations from former live-in staff at Caribbean homes.
According to advocacy groups Women’s Link Worldwide and Amnesty International, a complaint submitted to Spanish prosecutors on 5 January details alleged conduct that could amount to ‘a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour’ as well as ‘crimes against sexual freedom’.
Spanish law allows these crimes to be prosecuted domestically under the principle of personality, meaning Spain retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed abroad by Spanish citizens.
Testimony gathered by the organisations alleges that Iglesias subjected the women to ‘sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the home where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off’.
Responding to the claims on Instagram, Iglesias wrote: ‘It is with profound sadness that I respond to the accusations made by two people who previously worked for me.’
‘I have never felt such malice, but I still have the strength to let people know the whole truth and to defend my dignity against such a serious accusation,’ he added, while thanking the ‘so many dear people’ who have sent him messages of support.
The allegations against the internationally renowned singer have triggered strong political reactions in Spain, with members of the left-leaning coalition government expressing support for the complainants and calling for a thorough investigation to establish the facts.
The leader of the right-wing People’s Party (PP) opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo – a personal friend of Iglesias – told Telecinco on Wednesday that he was ‘very, very, very surprised’ by the accusations, while urging the public not to ‘speculate’.
Iglesias’s former manager Fernán Martínez also spoke to Telecinco, describing the singer as ‘very affectionate’ and someone who enjoyed ‘physical contact’, but stressed that he had never seen the music icon ‘behave aggressively’.
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