Dominican television presenter Lourdes Stephen has announced her formal separation from her husband, attorney Michael Puchades, following 18 years of marriage.
Stephen, a prominent co-host of the Telemundo news programme Al Rojo Vivo, confirmed the decision on Friday in a public statement released on her official Instagram account. The announcement comes after several episodes of marital tension between the couple spilled over into the public sphere on social media.
In her published message, Stephen explained that both partners have chosen different paths and made clear that her primary concern is safeguarding the emotional well-being of the couple's 10-year-old son, Michael Victor. She wrote that she wanted to share with her followers that the father of her son and she were formally separated, and each was now continuing their own path with the freedom to build a new stage in their personal lives.
The broadcaster did not provide reasons for the marital breakdown, nor did she specify when the separation took effect. Her statement also made no mention of whether a formal divorce decree or legal ruling has been issued.
Protecting family and child welfare
Stephen dedicated the central portion of her announcement to her young son, urging the public and the media to exercise sensitivity and understanding as the family navigates the transition. She stated that above everything stood their son, who would always remain their greatest priority.
Emphasising the importance of the current period in the boy's life, the presenter said she asked from the heart for respect, sensitivity, comprehension and discretion to protect his peace of mind and emotional health. Stephen concluded her message by expressing deep gratitude for the support and affection she had received in recent weeks, thanking her followers for accompanying her family respectfully through this phase.
Public disputes on social media
The separation announcement follows a public controversy that erupted in September, when Puchades used his own Instagram account to question his wife's online activity. The Florida attorney publicly criticised the photographs Stephen posted on social media and expressed dissatisfaction with what he claimed was inappropriate conduct within the marriage.
In a post published on September 22 and reported by the magazine People en Español, Puchades described the journalist as a promiscuous social media diva, a phrase that triggered widespread reaction across social platforms. The lawyer also stated that he had previously expressed disagreement with certain publications made by the television host.
The accusations reflected Puchades's personal opinions and complaints rather than demonstrated facts. Stephen chose to remain silent throughout the dispute, despite the remarks drawing widespread coverage across Spanish-language entertainment media outlets.
Apology and previous divorce petition
Following strong public reaction to his posts, Puchades published a retraction in early October in which he admitted his mistake and offered an apology to his wife and family. In a statement reported by ¡Hola! magazine, the attorney said he was making the declaration solely to offer his deepest and most sincere apologies, first to Stephen and second to his family.
Puchades acknowledged that his comments were the product of personal friction, admitting that the unfortunate post had arisen from anger and deep resentment over matters that should have remained strictly private between the couple. Stephen did not issue any public statements regarding the future of the marriage following the apology.
The recent controversy was not the first time the couple had experienced a serious crisis. In September of this year, People en Español revealed, based on Miami-Dade court documents, that Puchades had filed for divorce on May 8, 2013, shortly before the couple's fifth wedding anniversary.
In that 2013 filing, the attorney cited an irreparable breakdown of the marriage and requested an equitable distribution of assets acquired during the union. That legal case did not end in divorce, as the couple engaged in a reconciliation process and continued their marriage.
Background on television career and marriage
Stephen and Puchades married in 2008, and their son, Michael Victor, was born in May 2016. The presenter has long been a familiar face on Hispanic television in the United States, having spent years as a national correspondent on Univision's newsmagazine Primer Impacto and co-hosting the entertainment show Sal y Pimienta before taking the helm at Telemundo's flagship newsmagazine Al Rojo Vivo.
Telemundo is a major American Spanish-language television network owned by NBCUniversal, broadcasting throughout the United States and internationally. After roughly 18 years of marriage, Stephen has chosen to move forward into a new chapter of her personal life without detailing the private conflicts that led to the split, placing her son's well-being above family differences and requesting privacy as they move ahead.
