Tenoch Huerta denies sexual assault allegation: 'I cannot let it go unchallenged'

Actor Tenoch Huerta has denied a sexual assault allegation leveled against him by musician María Elena Ríos.

The "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" star released a statement Monday calling the saxophonist's claims "false," "irresponsible" and "completely unsubstantiated." In a series of social media posts last week, Ríos called Huerta a "sexual predator" and accused him of sexually assaulting her.

She also accused Poder Prieto, an activist organization based in Mexico and affiliated with Huerta, of not paying her when she worked for them and protecting Huerta.

"A false and completely unsubstantiated accusation about me has spread like wildfire — and I cannot let it go unchallenged any longer," Huerta wrote in his statement.

"About a year ago, I dated Elena for several months. It was entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest. And throughout it was a loving, warm and mutually supportive relationship. After it ended, however, Elena began to misrepresent our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends."

Ríos leveled the allegations after Poder Prieto shared on social media an episode of the podcast “El Feisbuk de la Malinche” featuring the saxophonist. She is a former member of Poder Prieto, and Huerta is a spokesperson for the collective of actors and other figures working to combat racism in the entertainment industry and beyond.

On Thursday, Ríos accused Poder Prieto via Instagram of sharing the podcast episode without her consent and defending an allegedly violent "predator," Huerta. She also claimed on Twitter that the organization sought her out at an event in an effort to prevent a scandal from afflicting Huerta's Marvel movie.

"I engaged a legal team to commence the appropriate actions to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great prejudice and damage," Huerta continued Monday in his statement.

"Although I am by no means perfect, I know that these allegations are simply untrue. And while I will always work to improve myself, I need to contest claims that are both false and offensive."

Huerta added that he is "deeply grateful" to his loved ones and "everyone who is willing to look at the facts before rushing to an untrue and unjust conclusion."

On Saturday, Ríos tweeted in Spanish, "It's very difficult to talk about the emotional abuse and the abuse of power of a sexual predator who is loved around the world for playing a character in a movie such as" Huerta.

Asked by many Twitter users why she did not report Huerta, Ríos called Mexico "un país machista" while citing a culture of injustice and violence against women. She added that she is not seeking fame or money before sharing screenshots of hateful and threatening messages she has received on social media since speaking out.

"People ... refuse to believe that a SUPERHERO is an abuser, manipulator and sexual predator," she tweeted. "Yes, you Tenoch Huerta abuse because you know you have power."

Huerta, a prolific performer who has appeared in dozens of movies and TV series, rose to worldwide fame last year as Namor, the layered antagonist of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." His nuanced portrayal of the character garnered widespread acclaim and was hailed for boosting onscreen representation for darker-skinned, Indigenous people.

“This is the first superhero with an Indigenous background, a Mesoamerican background,” Huerta told The Times in November. “It’s a brown-skinned guy. This ancient culture is in his roots. And he speaks like me. We are making history. I told them, ‘Let’s do something to be proud of.’”

Representatives for Disney, which distributed "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and Poder Prieto have not responded to The Times' requests for comment. The Times has reached out to Ríos for more details on the allegations.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.