Ricky Martin and his gay partner Carlos Gonzalez have called it quits! Martin, 42, and Gonzalez have 5-year-old twin sons Matteo and Valentino, who were born via surrogate in August 2008.

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“Ricky and Carlos have mutually agreed to end their relationship but continue to be united by friendship and their shared experiences,” a rep for the singer tells PEOPLE in a statement.

“I have experienced wonderful things with my partner. Complexity, understanding, and, at the same time, freedom, not being afraid that your partner is judging you. That is what I have found with Carlos,” Martin told the magazine.

“We’re going on four years together … When I started the process with my sons, Carlos wasn’t in my life. He said: ‘I’m looking for a boyfriend, not a father with a family.’ And I said to him: ‘You’ve found a grown-up, full-fledged man.’ I created a family structure and if he didn’t understand he’d ask me questions and we were on our way.”

In November, a source hinted that distance may have played a factor in the split. “They’ve spent very little time together and have grown apart,” the source told PEOPLE. “They’ve been on the outs for a while now.”