Former boxer Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez broke the silence this afternoon after he was arrested last week on allegations of domestic violence by his ex-partner Andrea Ojeda Cruz, an influencer known as “La Peki” on social media.
The only statements of the moment of the two-time division champion were very sparse, but in the midst of this silence he stopped to send a message to the fans.
The ex-boyfriend demanded respect from his ex-partner, who sued him for an incident of gender violence last September 7th.
López, who took the opportunity to reaffirm his love for Ojeda, faces seven charges for violating Law 54 on Domestic Violence for events that occurred several months ago, the most recent being last July.
“I want to let them know in Puerto Rico, all over the world, and especially to my fans that Andrea Ojeda Creu -Peki, as many know her- for me is Andrea, she is a lady, an excellent woman, a worker , a fighter, who has been on my side on different occasions, “López said in an interview with Telemundo’s Dia a Dia program.
“At very difficult times in my life she has been on my side and she has never left me. She is going through a very difficult time, which she does not deserve. I ask the people, the world, and especially my people. fans, that they give it space, that they respect it and that they wait for this process to happen, that in the name of Papito God we hope that it will end soon “.
About the young woman he said: “I love him very much, and we hope in God that when this happens, if it is in his hands that our relationship will continue like this it will be.”
Lopez declined to confirm whether he was apologizing and said he could not make further statements because he was in the middle of a “very delicate” lawsuit.
The suspect is under house arrest with an electronic shackle under the surveillance services of the Office of Pre-Trial Services. He cannot drink alcohol or use drugs, he will be subjected to doping tests and is forbidden to approach or contact his ex-partner.
Last week, the young woman posted photos of her hit and claimed on social media that she was assaulted by the former world champion.
“I left Juanma because he is an abusive man. He is an abuser, he is a man who has problems with alcoholism. When Juanma drinks, he transforms into a man who is not. He is a man who has problems, who becomes films to the head of insecurity, “Ojeda said.
The young woman, who has more than 153,000 followers on Instagram, accompanied her statements with photos in which she appears with blows in her eyes as a result of the alleged beatings that the boxer allegedly gave her.
The photos include the statement: “Here they have my beautiful relationship, and the beautiful makeup that Juan Manuel López Rivera, alias Juama, the champion, did for me.”
“I kept quiet all the time. I went to the barracks many times and cried and cried and didn’t report it thinking about his children, not doing him any public harm and what came next, but it was over. I got tired, ”he said at the time.
The young woman also posted in a story on her Instagram profile a video allegedly recorded by Lopez in which the ex-boxer loses control, insults her and tries to grab her and assault her.
The video includes the phrase “here they have their champion. If I get dead tomorrow Juan Manuel López Rivera will kill me.”
“I’ve been thinking for a long time if I was going to do this. I’m shaking. I need to do it to bring the message that I’m real and that women are valued. I want women who are going through something (similar) not to stay. shut up and let them know they are not alone, ”he added at the time.
That same day, the young woman appeared before the authorities in Caguas to file the formal complaint against López who was arrested hours later.
The preliminary hearing of the case was scheduled for September 21.
Lopez ended his career in 2019. He finished with a professional mark of 36-6-1 and 32 knockouts. He was super-rooster and featherweight champion of the OMB.
It is estimated that he earned about $ 7 million throughout his career of which today he has nothing left. In 2011 he faced an accusation of gender violence by his ex-wife, Bàrbara De Jesús, and in 2015 he also faced a similar case due to complaints from his ex-partner Geraldine Crespo.