Ex-members of Ricky Martin’s former boyband Menudo have spread out concerning the horrific abuse they declare their supervisor subjected them to – alleging that they got medicine and alcohol, uncovered to ‘predators,’ and ‘raped’ a large number of instances.
Menudo was once shaped in Miami, Florida, via Edgardo Diaz in 1977 – and it went directly to transform one of the vital greatest boy bands in the world, promoting greater than 20 million data international and taking up many Latin America international locations during the ’80s and ’90s with its catchy hits.
However, whilst acting within the a hit band, lots of its individuals have now published that they had been secretly residing a nightmare – dealing with sexual attack and bodily abuse in the back of closed doorways.
A brand spanking new, four-part HBO documentary concerning the band, referred to as Menudo: Forever Young, which premiered on June 23, has now introduced the alleged abuse to mild.
Ex-members of Ricky Martin’s (noticed left within the mid-80s) former boyband Menudo have spread out concerning the horrific abuse they declare their supervisor subjected them to



Menudo was once shaped in Miami, Florida, via Edgardo Diaz (pictured) in 1977 – and it went directly to transform one of the vital greatest boy bands in the world



While acting within the band, lots of its individuals have now claimed they had been secretly residing a nightmare – dealing with sexual attack and bodily abuse. Martin (left) is noticed within the band in 1985






A brand new HBO documentary concerning the band, referred to as Menudo: Forever Young, has now introduced the alleged abuse to mild. Martin, who was once in Menudo from 1984 to 1989, is noticed in 1988
In the document, former member Angelo Garcia, who joined in 1988 when he was once simply 11 and left two years later, claimed that he was once raped ‘a sequence of instances’ all the way through his time within the band via ‘predators’ who would ‘benefit from him.’
He stated the primary time it took place was once in his resort room with an undisclosed guy, who gave the then-11-year-old alcohol till he ‘handed out.’
‘When I awoke, I used to be bare and I used to be bleeding, so I knew that I have been penetrated,’ Garcia stated within the documentary, in line with the New York Post.
‘I had, like, those burn marks on my face from the rug … I used to be very perplexed and I didn’t perceive.’
Other individuals of the gang additionally claimed within the documentary that they confronted sexual abuse all the way through their time with Menudo, in addition to drug use, negligence, exploitation, and bullying from different individuals – all beneath Diaz’s watchful eye.
The crew was once initially made up of 2 units of brothers – Fernando, then 12, and Nefty Sallaberry, then 13, and Carlos, then 12, Oscar, then 11, and Ricky Melendez, then 9 – who had been put in combination via Diaz; their debut album, Los Fantasmas, dropped in 1997.



In the document, former member Angelo Garcia (a ways proper), claimed that he was once raped ‘a sequence of instances’ all the way through his time within the band via ‘predators’ who would ‘benefit from him’



He stated the primary time it took place was once in his resort room with an undisclosed guy, who gave the then-11-year-old alcohol till he ‘handed out.’ He is pictured previous this month






‘When I awoke, I used to be bare and I used to be bleeding, so I knew that I have been penetrated,’ Garcia (pictured this 12 months) stated within the documentary
Over the years, the band noticed a slew of its individuals come and cross, and it had greater than 30 other other folks in it during its time.
According to the document, Diaz had a ‘Fountain of Youth technique’ for Menudo, which intended if any of the individuals were given too outdated, they had been changed (steadily at age 16) – which allowed the band to proceed its good fortune and keep successful for a few years.
Numerous guys who was within the band alleged that they steadily had no supervision or safety, and had been uncovered to medicine like marijuana and cocaine via more than a few ‘manufacturers and promoters.’
‘One time we had been in Colombia, I’m with [fellow Menudo member] Rubén [Gómez], and we’re attending to the resort,’ former member Sergio Blass, who joined in 1986 and left 4 years later, stated within the document.
‘We input our room. All of a unexpected, this random man is available in … And he pulls out what should had been a few kilo of cocaine.
‘We freaked out, as a result of we didn’t know this individual … But the fellow was once if truth be told one of the vital manufacturers and promoters.’



According to the document, Diaz had a ‘Fountain of Youth technique’ for Menudo, which intended if any of the individuals were given too outdated, they had been changed – steadily at age 16. The band is noticed within the past due ’70s



Other individuals claimed within the document they had been uncovered to drug use, negligence, exploitation, and bullying from different individuals – all beneath Diaz’s watchful eye. The band is noticed in 1984



Sergio Blass (best left) stated he was once uncovered to medicine like marijuana and cocaine via more than a few ‘manufacturers and promoters’



Andy Blázquez (noticed not too long ago), who was once a part of Menudo from 1991 to 1997, blasted his former supervisor within the document for the ‘excessive sexualization’ which he claimed he confronted within the band



Arguably its most famed member was once Martin, who joined the gang in 1984 when he was once 13 and left 5 years later. He is noticed within the crew in 1985
Andy Blázquez, who was once a part of Menudo from 1991 to 1997, blasted his former supervisor within the document for the ‘excessive sexualization’ that he claimed he confronted within the band ‘from the very starting.’
‘Like overly sexualized jokes that you just shouldn’t say in entrance of kids,’ he added. ‘I take note Edgardo pronouncing, “You know the excitement that you just get while you’re pooping? That’s what anal intercourse appears like.”’
Arguably its most famed member was once Martin, who joined the gang in 1984 when he was once 13 and left 5 years later, and it is been stated that the Livin’ La Vida Loca hitmaker’s time in Menudo was once what helped release his primary track profession.
Ray Acevedo, who was once in Menudo from 1985 to 1988, claimed the Martin was once the ‘golden child’ from the start, and he stated he made it recognized to the opposite individuals. And Blass reiterated Acevedo’s claims.
‘To be with Ricky was once brutal as a result of he had seniority over me, so if any person knocked at the door, I needed to open it,’ Blass recalled.
‘If the telephone rang, I had to pick out it up. I used to be like his housewife.’
Acevedo remembered brutal hazing via different individuals, together with one – whom he did not identify – who as soon as held him over the ledge of a balcony.
Menudo launched a whopping 34 studio albums in overall over time, starred in a mini-series, had 3 other films made concerning the band, bought out a large number of global excursions, and slayed the charts with its hit songs – together with Hold Me, If You’re Not Here (By My Side), and Besame.



Ray Acevedo (noticed fourth from left with Martin, 3rd from left, in 1985) claimed the Martin was once the ‘golden child’ from the start, and he stated he made it recognized to the opposite individuals



Acevedo remembered brutal hazing via different individuals, together with one – whom he did not identify – who as soon as held him over the ledge of a balcony. He is noticed fourth from the left
And it seems, this is not the primary time that individuals have spoken out about alleged abuse.
Many individuals up to now accused Diaz of revealing them to sexual attack again in 1991, and they have got persevered to make the claims all the way through reside TV display appearances and in interviews over time.
Diaz, who refused to participate within the new document, has incessantly denied the allegations.
In 1997, the rights to Menudo had been bought via Diaz a few of the allegations of abuse, and so they formally broke up 5 years later – in 2002.
However, their new control introduced the gang again with a brand new set of other folks in 2007.
The new crew launched an EP in combination however disbanded two years later. Then, in 2019, a couple of individuals got here again in combination and carried out on a comeback excursion, referred to as the Súbete a Mi Moto Tour.