Over the weekend, Mexican singer Alicia Villarreal went viral for holding up the “Signal for Help,” a coded gesture to alert others of potential threats, during a show in Monterrey, Mexico. Now, Villarreal is bringing the domestic violence accusation against her husband Cruz Martinez to authorities.
On Friday night, Villarreal’s attorney confirmed in a statement that the singer filed a complaint that was “ratified” by the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Nuevo León Wednesday. Although Martinez — who is a member of the group Kumbia Kings — was not named in the public statement, a source close to Villarreal confirmed to Rolling Stone that the complaint was against him.
“On behalf of Alicia Villarreal, we want to deeply thank the support and respect that the public, the press, and the community have shown at this time. Your solidarity has been invaluable in this difficult situation,” wrote her attorney Richter Ramirez. “Alicia Villarreal reaffirms her commitment to push for the most consequences in the search for justice.”
“Beyond her own case, she hopes this moment will serve as a precedent so that no woman has to endure a similar situation,” the statement continued. “Therefore, we call on all those who experience circumstances of violence to #OvercomeTheSilence and report it, with the certainty that they are not alone.”
The new statement and accusation against Martinez comes after Villarreal held up her hand during a show in Nuevo Leon, placing her thumb in her fist and closing it — the international “Signal for Help” used to bring awareness to domestic violence. Videos of the moment quickly went viral drawing concern from fans of the singer online.
Earlier this week, Villarreal re-shared posts of support from her fans and others on social media, many of which reminded her that “you are not alone.” Villarreal and Martinez — who married in 2003 and share two children — have been in divorce proceedings for several months, Rolling Stone confirms.
Villarreal’s lawyer wrote that given the legal process, Villarreal would not be issuing statements for the time being. “We appreciate your understanding and respect for this procedure,” Ramirez wrote.
Martinez and the Kumbia Kings did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
Villarreal has been touring Mexico in support of her 2024 album, Donde Todo Comenzo. The Mexican star is known for her powerful rancheras such as “Te Quedó Grande la Yegua” and “Insensible a Ti.” Before going solo, she fronted Tejano band Grupo Limite, which released songs “Te Aprovechas” and “Yo Sin Tu Amor,” in the Nineties. For his part, Martinez is a record producer and member of the Kumbia Kings, the group formed by Selena’s brother A.B. Quintanilla.