Shakira addresses Piqué comments, says she’s proud to be Latin American

Shakira and Gerard Piqué’s relationship is not getting any easier. The Colombian artist has said she’s proud to be from Latin American following some statements that her ex-partner made, where he talked about her Latin American fans and the types of things that they said to him through social media.

In an appearance on a podcast, Gerard Piqué talked about the mental health toll of receiving online hate from strangers. As an example, he used Shakira’s fans. In Spanish, he said, “My ex-partner is Latin American and you have no idea what I’ve received over social media from people that are fans of her,” he said. “I don’t know them, it’s people who I guess don’t have lives. Why should you care about them? Zero. You’ll never meet them in your life, they’re like robots,” he ended his rant. Viewers immediately took offense to his statements.

Shakira, who’s just made the move from Barcelona to the U.S., shared a message on Twitter sharing how proud she was to be Latina. “Proud to be from Latin America,” she wrote, adding in the flags of all Latin American countries.

Shakira’s previous social media post read as a goodbye to Spain and Europe, where she spent the majority of the past decade of her life. The post shows a view of the city, likely taken from her home. “I settled in Barcelona to give my children stability, the same we are now looking for in another corner of the world next to family, friends, and the sea,” she wrote.

“Today we start a new chapter in the pursuit of their happiness. Thank you to everyone who surfed so many waves alongside me in Barcelona, the city where I learned that friendship lasts longer than love. Thank you to everyone who has been there to cheer me up, dried my tears, inspired me, and made me grow. Thank you to my Spanish audience who have always wrapped me in their love and loyalty. For you guys, it’s only a see you later.”