Echenique's wife announces her divorce: "It was time to think about myself."

Pablo Echenique and his then-wife, María Nelo, have ended a marriage that had lasted almost 12 years and are in the process of obtaining a divorce. María Nelo announced this in an interview with 'The Objective'.

Echenique and Nelo, who married in 2013, agreed to this decision a few months ago, with her taking the initiative. This is how the 43-year-old Venezuelan woman explains it: "I'd been thinking about getting a divorce for a year, to be honest, but I told him a few months ago. She held me back from taking the step before because I wasn't sure if part of my desire to separate was due to my psychological problems."

Nelo explains that at first Echenique didn't understand his decision: "Not at that time, but I think he does now. In the end, it was—and is—the best thing for both of us. When there's no longer a relationship as such and you become like friends, it's healthy to leave it at that. And in the end, we get along well and have a friendship. It's been many years together..."

The former Podemos leader's ex-partner even details that two of the reasons that have strained the relationship stem from the former MP's work and disability: "After so many years of caring for him, during which you have to be very attentive to that person, I was worried about leaving him a little helpless. But at the same time, thinking about myself and being selfish, I also felt he needed more freedom. It was time to think about myself after so many years dedicated to caring for him."

Finally, Nelo reflects on the ups and downs of his relationship with Echenique: "I feel like I put him first and I took a backseat. Although I must emphasize that he also looked out for me, in his own way, because I, too, am a disabled person. Let's say we looked out for each other, as best we could, with our limitations. But I think what I've neglected the most has been my professional career, which is now beginning to take off."