The Reaction to the Tenoch Huerta Sexual Assault Claims Proves Latina Survivors Deserve Better

When Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiered in November of 2022, fans lauded the Latine Indigenous representation, majorly upheld by the character of Namor, a Maya king played by the dark-skinned Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta. Openly condemning the genocide of Spanish colonialism in Mexico on an internationally released film, Huerta soon became a symbol for inclusion and anti-colonialism, and he often spoke out about the racism he suffered in Mexico and the importance of dark-skinned Latine representation.

This week, Mexican musician María Elena Ríos accused Huerta of sexual assault and emotional abuse, also alleging that the anti-racist organization Poder Prieto — of which Huerta is a spokesperson — has consistently protected the actor behind the scenes while outwardly appearing to be a benign anti-racist organization. Ríos is a former member of the organization and alleges that on her exit, she requested the organization never mention her name again. The saxophone player posted the accusations this week after Poder Prieto shared an episode of the podcast “El Feisbuk de la Malinche” that featured her on social media without her consent.

“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 Tenoch Huerta,” Ríos tweeted on Sunday, June 11.

Huerta responded to the accusations on Monday, June 12 on Instagram, claiming that Ríos’ accusations were “completely unsubstantiated,” and alleging they had a “consensual” relationship for several months. In both English and Spanish, Huerta wrote: “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.”

“Fans — who largely found him a safe actor to crush on because of his outspokenness on matters of social justice and his singularity as a dark-skinned actor in the very white Latine entertainment industry — are left trying to make sense of allegations that have shattered the image of an idol.”

The immediate fallout of the accusations against Huerta have been mixed. Many of Huerta’s fans have gone online to express their disappointment in the actor and their support for Ríos. For instance, one of the biggest Huerta Instagram fan accounts has temporarily stopped posting updates in support of Ríos. “With the recent allegations against Tenoch Huerta, we have decided to pause all updates on the actor until more details of the situation emerge,” the account posted on Saturday, June 10. “We are currently very shocked with this news but we will stand with and support the victim in the meantime, thank you.” Tenoch Huerta Updates only posted again when Huerta released his statement alleging defamation by Ríos.

Fans — who largely found him a safe actor to crush on because of his outspokenness on matters of social justice and his singularity as a dark-skinned actor in the very white Latine entertainment industry — are left trying to make sense of allegations that have shattered the image of an idol who openly advocated for inclusion and representation.

“I feel that representation in this context is a lot deeper than what we typically see in Hollywood,” Canada-based Huerta fan Ruby told Refinery29 Somos over email. “There was great love and care put into every aspect of Namor’s character and his world. It was really the first time anyone had seen a dark-skinned Mexican actor and Maya culture celebrated on the big screen the way it was in Wakanda Forever. That, plus Huerta’s outspokenness about the particular strain of racism that operates across Latin America made him into a symbol. He, and the character of Namor, had a huge impact on people.”

“Some people who resented Huerta’s success due to his skin color and outspokenness have gleefully celebrated the actor’s downfall, demonstrating the extent of colorism and racism that is still alive and well in Latine communities.”

But other fans responded positively to the actor’s denial of the allegations, denigrating Ríos’ reputation and exposing the misogyny of the community, both in the U.S. and in Mexico. Ríos has been receiving death threats and online harassment. Even more, some people who resented Huerta’s success due to his skin color and outspokenness have gleefully celebrated the actor’s downfall, demonstrating the extent of colorism and racism that is still alive and well in Latine communities.

Huerta’s breakthrough in a major Marvel Studios film was a win for Latine people, particularly darker-skinned Indigenous Latines who hardly ever see themselves represented on screen, both in Mexico and in the United States. The actor also often talked about his struggles with colorism and white supremacy in Mexico, which many white Mexicans disapproved of.

But now, some fans are reflecting on how making one man the face of a marginalized community might be a flawed approach to social justice. While the allegations against Huerta don’t change the reality that dark-skinned Latine representation is scarce, they do expose the complications of idolizing any actor as the voice of a progressive cause — and the power and protection assigning this role to any one person might give them.

“I think when something like this comes to light, it sheds light on how identity politics and representation media can fall short,” one fan who preferred to remain anonymous told Somos. “I think it shows that someone can play a character, and that can be really meaningful to an audience or to fans or a whole country, but sometimes that is all it is. He’s still a powerful man in that he’s quite wealthy and famous.”

“While the allegations against Huerta don’t change the reality that dark-skinned Latine representation is scarce, they do expose the complications of idolizing any actor as the voice of a progressive cause — and the power and protection assigning this role to any one person might give them.”

For Ruby, who describes their corner of Huerta fandom as “filled with women and femmes, many of whom are survivors of sexual assault themselves,” the allegations feel much worse for the fandom because Huerta was upheld as a role model for inclusivity and anti-racism in Hollywood. The online fandom spaces that were created around Huerta — which Ruby says felt like a safe space — also reflected the values the actor was outspoken about.

“It’s so unfair that a white supremacist society forces non-white people to be representations of our entire communities,” they say. “The combination of Namor and Huerta’s activism gave people a voice and hope. Now it feels like all of that is lost because of one man’s actions. I can’t sit here and pretend it’s not a huge blow to what little progress has been achieved in terms of representation, every time I think about it I just get sad again.”

Aleyda Rocha, a feminist researcher, artist, and educator from Mexico who has been following the case, is concerned Ríos’s testimony is being overshadowed by Huerta’s fame and says discussions of the allegations in Mexican media have heavily favored colorism, patriarchy, and spectacle. Though many fans are distancing themselves from Huerta and openly posting about believing Ríos, Rocha says mainstream media isn’t as supportive.

“Combatting racism also means believing women of color when they allege gender violence, and keeping men of color accountable for the misogynistic violence they may have perpetrated.”

“Sadly, patriarchal narratives remain at the forefront of the conversation in Mexico, and now even Ríos’ testimony feels forgotten as the focus shifts to Tenoch, his career, his words, and his next move,” Rocha says. “Given the continual occurrence of sexual assault and macho practices in mainstream media being brushed aside as meaningless, and treated as ‘a given’ in the industry, this is worrisome.”

In the midst of the allegations, Ríos herself noted how difficult it was for her to come forward, particularly because of how much Huerta’s work means to many people of color. The message Huerta was spreading — of inclusion and combating racism — is still essential, but it can’t serve as a cover for his alleged wrongdoings.

Combatting racism also means believing women of color when they allege gender violence, and keeping men of color accountable for the misogynistic violence they may have perpetrated. In a world where women and femmes are forced to expose their abusers publicly to get any kind of justice, we must believe survivors. Even if white supremacist society only rewards marginalized communities with a few token racialized people with visibility, gender violence must always be addressed.