Peruvian television presenter Ethel Pozo revealed that she had a secret long distance teenage romance with former Menudo singer Ricky Lopez when she was around 13 years old.
Speaking on her podcast Sin Mas Que Decir, Pozo explained that she kept the story hidden for years, addressing long standing rumors that had linked her to other members of the famous Puerto Rican boy band.
She clarified that while many people assumed she had dated group members Andy or Abel, her actual relationship was with Lopez and ultimately ended in tragedy years later.
Meeting at a Television Studio in Lima
Pozo recalled that the pair first met when Menudo traveled to Lima for a promotional visit and appeared on the television set where her mother, veteran Peruvian host Gisela Valcarcel, was working.
Following that initial encounter, the two teenagers maintained contact across international borders. Lopez began calling her on the telephone from Puerto Rico and asked her to become his girlfriend.
Pozo noted that both of them were very young at the time, describing the bond as an innocent teenage romance conducted entirely over long distance phone calls.
Valcarcel is one of the most prominent media personalities in Peru, and her television broadcasts in Lima regularly featured major international musical acts touring Latin America during the late 20th century.
Different Lifestyles and a Tour in Peru
The relationship began to cool down when Menudo returned to Peru for another concert tour. Pozo said she was still living her adolescence with innocence, while Lopez was living a very different life due to his artistic obligations and constant travel schedule.
She explained that the growing contrast between her routine school age life in Lima and his demanding career as a touring pop artist caused the young couple to drift apart.
Menudo was an iconic boy band founded in Puerto Rico that gained widespread international fame across Latin America, maintaining a rigorous performance and media schedule that kept its members constantly on the road.
Tragic Car Accident and Severe Aftermath
Years after their connection faded, the story took a far sadder turn when Lopez was involved in a severe automobile accident that left him with permanent physical injuries.
Pozo stated that she lost contact with Lopez following the crash and spent years without knowing what had happened to him or where he was.
She later learned about his condition from other former members of Menudo, who informed her that the accident had left Lopez with severe lasting aftermath and bound to a wheelchair.
Reflecting on the relationship, Pozo remembered Lopez fondly, describing him as a very sweet and talented young man whose life was altered by the tragic accident.
