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Ernesto Martín, a 29-year-old Cuban activist living in Hialeah and known on social media as “El Indeseable Maceíto,” broke his silence following his arrest on July 2 in Miami, as a result of an undercover police operation related to the alleged solicitation of prostitution services.
In an exclusive interview granted to Telemundo 51, Martín took responsibility for his actions, although he insisted that it was a strictly private matter.
That same day, he published an official statement on his Instagram account in which he promised to face the legal consequences without evasion.
How did the arrest happen?
According to the police report, Martín responded to an ad on a website associated with escort services, verbally agreed to a service, and went to an address previously selected by the investigators.
Upon arrival, he encountered the undercover agent "Peña," identified in the police report by the number 9689.
Martín handed over 60 dollars as payment and was immediately arrested.
The report states that no physical contact occurred prior to the arrest; the accusation is based on the verbal request and the exchange of money.
The charge recorded is soliciting another person for prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida.
What Martín said on Telemundo 51
In the interview, Martín acknowledged the mistake but defended that his private life is no one else's concern.
“My shame is reserved for my family and my loved ones. The truth is, I don’t believe I have wronged anyone; it was something mutually agreed upon. Of course, it is a mistake and I am completely embarrassed,” he declared.
When asked about the details of the police report, he preferred not to go into specifics
"No, I prefer not to make any comments. That is a legal process that is currently being clarified, and I will defer to my lawyer's advice."
Regarding what was learned, he/she reflected:
"First of all, self-control, not letting oneself be carried away by emotions, understanding that what is normal doesn't mean it is legal. But of course, it's something that could have been prevented in some way if I had made better decisions myself."
Martín also requested that political figures he has collaborated with not be dragged into this
"I am a completely independent person. There is no need to involve Mayor Bryan, because that is a personal decision of mine. It is a decision I make and take responsibility for, and I am willing to face the consequences of it. I have nothing to hide."
The statement on Instagram
Alongside the television interview, Martín published a formal statement on Tuesday on his Instagram account—where he has over 70,000 followers—with the heading "Official Statement" on a backdrop of the American flag.
In the text, it was direct:
"What I do in my private life is my business and my own issue. However, I will not evade my responsibility. I will face the consequences determined by the law with the same firmness that I have always confronted every stage of my life. I have never believed in cheap excuses or victimhood in response to decisions made."
He closed the statement with a phrase that summarizes its tone: "To the detractors who do not build, silence. I continue with my machete drawn and my pants well put on".
Profile of the accused and legal context
Martín is known in the Cuban community of Miami as a political strategist for the firm Warchief Strategies and an anti-communist activist with ties to local campaigns in Hialeah, including Mayor Bryan Calvo, a figure whom Martín himself wanted to distance from the case.
The type of operation in which he was arrested is a common practice of the Miami-Dade police agencies: undercover agents who post ads on adult websites and document the arrangements before proceeding with the arrests.
In Florida, a first offense for solicitation of prostitution can result in up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, 100 hours of community service, and mandatory classes on human trafficking.
Martín is facing an accusation, not a conviction, and the case is proceeding through the courts.
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