The well-known actor and comedian, Pepe Viyuela (60 years) has decided to leave the play he was working on ‘Jardiel in love‘in which he played the writer Enrique Jardiel Poncela, directed by Ramón Paso, playwright, screenwriter and, as a curious fact, great-grandson of Enrique Jardiel Poncela.

Viyuela has made this decision after knowing the complaint for alleged sexual crime that the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Madrid has presented against Paso. He is accused of having committed several sexual crimes against several women between 2018 and 2023. Up to 14 alleged victims between the ages of 18 and 25 have taken statements and confirmed their complaint at the prosecutor’s office.

“I was shocked. I am nervous. I do not think in another thing. I am shocked,” Viyuela explained in statements to Europa Press, after learning the facts. “I don’t want to call him. I don’t want to continue with the show. “I’m leaving,” said the actor, clarifying however that Ramón Paso is not his friend.

In the middle of rehearsing the play that until then was performed at the Infanta Isabel Theater in Madrid (in the Chueca neighborhood), the actor assured that he understands “the presumption of innocence, but there is something too strong in the subject. There are 14 women.” Viyuela added, ensuring that he stands on the side of the victims. “I stand on the side of the alleged victims. I am unable to continue doing this function“, although the case is “to be proven.” “Ramón has to clarify many things,” he assured.

“I can’t distrust, there are 14 women”

Viyuela confessed that he did not know if the show will continue, but he believes that “the public will not want to see it either.” He also acknowledged that such a thing had never happened to him and felt that “he cannot distrust the testimony of 14 people. There must be something. I don’t think there is a plot or that they want to kill him. I don’t have the guts to go on stage this afternoon,” the actor assured.

A decision that even Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labor and Vice President of the Governmentapplauded on his X account: “Without their support, it is much more complex. Thank you, Pepe Viyuela for being an example of how one should act in the face of such serious complaints,” he said.

The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Madrid includes in its complaint alleged sexual assault crimesin some cases in its continuous modality, as well as crimes of sexual harassment and harassmentagainst moral integrity and coercion.

The lawyer specifies that most of the complainants, but not all, were victims of actions that would fall within the spectrum included in the Penal Code, after the reform of what is known as the ‘Only Yes Law’ for sexual assaults.

According to the lawyer, the Prosecutor’s Office, in addition to taking statements, has received documentary evidence related to the reported events, as well as expert reports from parties that would corroborate the women’s version and psychological reports.

On April 10, the Public Ministry decreed the conclusion of its pre-procedural proceedings and agreed to file a complaint before the Madrid Courts, an event that took place this Tuesday.