Shakira was open about why she resolved her $15 million tax lawsuit with the Spanish authorities during her November 2023 tax fraud trial in Barcelona, saying it was only to "protect" her children.
"I want to leave my children the legacy of a woman who explained her reasons calmly and in her own time, when she felt it was necessary,
not when she was forced to," the Waka Waka hitmaker wrote in a powerful statement published in the Spanish newspaper el Mundo on Thursday.
"I need them to understand that I took the decisions I did to protect them, stand by their side, and move on with my life. Not because of cowardice or guilt.
Shakira wrote in her letter to El Mundo that the "state institution seemed more interested in publicly burning [her] at the stake than in listening to [her] reasons."
She also accused the Spanish authorities of fabricating the case to make it appear that the singer cheated millions of euros after moving to the country.
"In 2011, I wanted my relationship with Gerard Piqué to prosper, who at that time was tied to Spain for work reasons," recalls the actress.
Shakira and Piqué dated from 2011 until 2022 and have two boys, Milan (11), and Sasha (9).
She went on, "Traveling to Spain caused several issues for me because it required me to be away from my job centers. When I returned, I did it to help the relationship thrive, not because of a 'passion to stay.'"