Bolivar Arellano (born 3 September, 1944 in Alausi, Chimborazo province, Ecuador)[1] is an Ecuadorian-American photographer and former shop owner.
He is mainly known for two things: his involvement with Puerto Rican boy band Menudo and the photos he took after the September 11 attacks in New York City.
When he arrived in New York, he was helped by a friend back in Ecuador who was a reporter for The Associated Press and sent him a letter of introduction, which Arellano used to meet and hang out with English-speaking photographers.
Arellano knew a man, Manolo "Manolito" Rodriguez, who was the New York City promoter both of Iris Chacon and of Menudo.
Thanks to their friend Rodriguez, the Arellanos gained access to the band and followed them for ten days as they stayed at the hotel, toured Central Park and did concerts.
The Arellanos named the store Menuditis,[3] which was a word used by reporters to describe the frenzy Menudo caused on their fans, like Beatlemania.
The Arellanos started traveling to Puerto Rico for concerts, with all expenses paid by Diaz's record company, Padosa.
[5] In 1991, Arellano returned to Puerto Rico, this time to testify about alleged abuses committed by Menudo management in a Carmen Jovet television show.