Pedro Julio Serrano (Via Twitter)
Reports by both Puerto Rico’s Noticentro and El Nuevo Día published on Monday afternoon said that LGBTQ activist Pedro Julio Serrano was detained on allegations of domestic violence.
According to El Nuevo Día, Serrano was detained after a domestic violence allegation was made against him, with police saying that an initial report about the incident was filed at 2:01 p.m. local time in Río Piedras. Since then, the newspaper noted, Serrano was taken in for an interview at Monte Hatillo and charges could be pending.
The initial agent on this case, according to El Nuevo Día, was Migdalia Rosario of the Río Piedras sector and was also referred to staff at San Juan’s domestic violence investigations division.
Over the past few weeks, Serrano was one of the public voices behind a boycott campaign against Mega TV’s “La Comay” for anti-Black comments made by the show’s puppet host.
News of Serrano being detained by police led to San Juan mayor Yulín Cruz announcing that Serrano was suspended from his job as a consultant to the city’s Vida y la Clínica Trans program.
“… from your job immediately until this controversy is resolved. Ms. Brenda Cordero and Ms. Marta Vera will be in touch with you according to the established rules,” I wrote in a text message to Pedro Julio Serrano…”
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 6, 2020
Journalist Julio Rivera-Saniel tweeted confirmation about Serrano being detained. Authorities are investigating the veracity of the allegations, and according to Rivera-Saniel’s tweet, a judge issued a restraining order in favor of Serrano against an yet unnamed ex-partner.
Las autoridades investigan la veracidad de la querella y si procedía el arresto, por cuanto un juez había emitido esta mañana una órden de proteccion a favor de @PedroJulio y en contra de su expareja (…)
— Julio Rivera-Saniel (@riverasaniel) July 6, 2020
Rivera-Saniel also spoke to lawyer Amarilis Pagán about the judge’s restraining order in favor of Serrano, who Pagán claimed was seeking protection from his ex-partner.
La licenciada @AmarilisPagan llega al cuartel en calidad de amiga de @PedroJulio Confirma que un juez había emitido una órden de protección a favor de Serrano quien se querello luego contra su expareja el sábado pero posteriormente no mostró interés en continuar. @NoticentroWAPA pic.twitter.com/irYRkxWSGy
— Julio Rivera-Saniel (@riverasaniel) July 6, 2020
UPDATE, July 7, 2020, 3:53pmET: Serrano’s father has tweeted out the following:
From @HMujics
"My son @PedroJulio has been in custody for 24 hours. The Prosecutor's Office has NOT yet filed the corresponding charges. Every accused person has the right to a fair and quick process. It seems that this maxim does not apply here. @Justicia_PR" #PuertoRico https://t.co/LFhgfj5hri
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) July 7, 2020
Update, July 7, 10:15 p.m. ET: Serrano has tweeted out that he was detained for more than 24 hours with no access to lawyers. He also claimed that he was innocent and that allegations against him were false.
Almost no access to lawyers.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) July 8, 2020
"Serrano will be under electronic supervision through an ankle monitor. He was arrested Monday at 2 pm after his partner submitted a protection order to police, alleging that Serrano engaged in a pattern of emotional abuse and also claimed that he had been sexually assaulted."
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) July 8, 2020
