Miss Venezuela
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Miss Venezuela contest is the national beauty pageant of Venezuela and has been held since 1952. The combination of the intense competition to enter the pageant, the extreme and comprehensive training required of all contestants and winners, and its unparalleled record at winning international contests has made Miss Venezuela the world's most successful national beauty title. It is responsible for selecting the country's representatives to the Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss International pageants (amongst others).
Under the direction of Osmel Sousa, Venezuela has accumulated more international titles than any other country, including four Miss Universe, five Miss World, and five Miss International winners. Alexandra Braun Waldeck, who won Venezuela's first Miss Earth title in 2005 (arguably the third-ranking member of the highest tier of international contests) was first runner-up at the Miss Venezuela pageant, and although she was not officially sent by the Organizacion Miss Venezuela her victory is considered in part due to its training. Throughout the 1990s, the emergence of Miss India as a strong contender has posed a serious challenge to Venezuela's long string of wins; other contestants that have traditionally challenged Miss Venezuela predominance in international pageants are Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Dominican Republic. The pageant is broadcast live across Latin America by Venevision, with edited versions to the United States and Mexico on Univision network. Traditionally the pageant lasts about four hours and is held in late September, but it is actually preceded by two or three months of preliminary events, including the award of corporate prizes.
Venezuela, a highly multiracial and diverse country, is the world's largest consumer of cosmetics on a per-capita basis, and the culture of beauty runs deep and thousands of entrants apply for the pageant each year. Some young women would try for up to five or six years consecutively trying to get one of the 26 to 32 titles that will enable them to compete in the final pageant. Venezuela's 23 states, capital, and two regions of Zulia state are always represented; some years other regions of the country will have representatives in the pageant. Although some major states and regions such as Zulia, Tachira, and Carabobo will hold their own preliminaries, many of the states are assigned by geographical proximity or even random drawing to the final contestants. There is therefore considerably less emphasis on state titles as there are in other major pageants such as Miss USA, although certain areas such as Miranda, Nueva Esparta, Distrito Capital and Carabobo always seem to fare well. In 2006, a Venezuelan-American filmmaker Patrick Atanasije Pineda obtained the rights to document every detail of the pageant, including its process and contestants.
[edit] Getting to the pageant
A would-be contestant joins the pageant at either the local level, if a regional contest is held in her state, or goes directly to the pageant's headquarters in Caracas. Regional contests generally select three to six candidates (except for the massive Miss Centroccidental pageant, which covers six to seven midwestern states) who will likely represent the state or one nearby: i.e. a candidate who is a finalist for Miss Carabobo will usually expect to represent Carabobo or a neighboring state such as Yaracuy in the final pageant. However, Osmel Sousa, president of the pageant, always sits on the selection panel regardless if it is a final regional contest or the direct "auditions," and it is not uncommon for him to overturn the entire regional results in favor of his own choices. For example, none of the candidates in 2004 for Vargas state were deemed fit for competition, so a candidate from Caracas was appointed Miss Vargas. Winners therefore have often never visited the state they represent. All this is done in accordance with the philosophy that the "strongest survive." In this fashion, rather than waste five or six candidates from a strong area of the country such as Zulia in a system wherein only one can represent the state, the pageant distributes "spare states" to them so all have an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities in the final night. Traditionally, strong candidates have been pulled from Caracas, Zulia and Carabobo states, although they can come from all over the country; e.g. in 2003 the Miss Centroccidental pageant sent seven candidates to the pageant, while in 2005 only one proceeded to the finals.
There is never any guarantee that a contestant will make it all the way to the final night, as the pageant reserves the right to pull out any candidate that is deemed not to be performing up to standard. However, such decisions are usually made before the class is convened and the various state sashes are handed out, a major ceremony each year that occurs behind-the-scenes but is eagerly awaited by those involved with the pageant. The pageant keeps a "reserve" pool of willing candidates always available to replace any last minute rejected contestant. Many aspirants will also make it into the final 50 or 60, only to be eliminated from the final rost of 26-32 contestants. Such eliminations have no real bearing on how well the contestant will do in the future. Mariangel Ruiz, Miss Venezuela 2002, did not place into the final 120 in 1998; Barbara Clara, second runner-up in 2004, had previously tried for the pageant three times before winning a title at the last minute in 2004. In the 2005 edition, for example, several candidates including Marianne Puglia (Aragua) and Johanna Penaloza (Vargas) were well known "eliminations" from 2002 and 2003.
Reentry into the final pageant is rare, although the rules are arbitrary and not as restrictive as those of Miss Colombia or as liberal as Miss Puerto Rico Universe. Only one contestant has ever participated in the official Miss Venezuela pageant twice: Maria Fernanda Leon, who represented Guarico in 1999 and Portuguesa in 2002. Aida Yespica competed in Miss Venezuela World 2001 but withdrew before being assigned a state for the final pageant her year; she returned in Miss Venezuela 2002 for Amazonas state. The majority of the contestants in 2000 and 2001 competed in both the Miss Venezuela World and Miss Venezuela contests of their respective years; they were assigned numbers for the Miss World preliminary, with the most desirable contestants being allowed to proceed to the final Miss Venezuela pageant with state titles. The ten contestants for the "emergency" Miss R.B. Venezuela (Miss Venezuela for Miss Universe 2000) and the six for Miss Venezuela Mundo 2006 (Miss Venezuela for Miss World 2006) were "recycled" from previous years.
[edit] State titles
There is an unofficial formula to determining the states and regions represented in Venezuela. The base number of contestants over the last decade has been 26, which can be increased by Venevision's management.
[edit] Official States (23)
|
* Denotes that state has a preliminary pageant – which may or may not still be held – as of 2005 only Tachira, Zulia, Lara, Aragua and Sucre held preliminaries.
* * Denotes that state has been represented through the Miss Centroccidental preliminary. Additionally, three states, Carabobo, Falcon and Merida hold their own individual pageants.
[edit] Official Regions (3)
- Costa Oriental de Lago (West lake coast (Maracaibo Lake))
- Distrito Capital (Capital District)
- Peninsula Goajira ( Goajira peninsule)
Costa Oriental and Peninsula Goajira are regions of Zulia state and are titles handed out at the Miss Zulia preliminary. As of 2003 Costa Oriental has its own preliminary.
Together, these 26 regions form the "base" of the Miss Venezuela contest. However, at times other regions and territories have been represented. If there are 27 sashes, the 27th candidate is Miss Dependencias Federales (representing the Venezuelan islands). If there are 28 sashes, either Canaima (a national park in Bolivar state) or Peninsula de Paraguana (a region of Falcon state) is represented. In 2003, additional titles of Peninsula de Araya (a region of Sucre state) and Roraima (a national park in Bolivar state) were created to bring the pageant to its highest ever number of contestants: 32. In the mid-1990s, the districts of Municipio Libertador and Municipio San Francisco were also represented, the last one only in 1997 ans 1998. Also, only in 2003, Guayana Esequiba (Part of Guyana that historically Venezuela claims of its own) was represented. Vargas state, the most recent modification in Venezuela's map (1999) was always present in the pageant, but with other names: Departamento Vargas (until 1986) Municipio Vargas (1987 to 1997) Territorio Federal Vargas(1998) and Vargas State since 1999.
[edit] Training
Once a candidate is shortlisted for the pageant, she begins an intensive training program which can last for half a year. She receives coaching in speech, physical fitness, make-up, modelling, and all the other skills required for the competition. The Miss Venezuela also employs a number of official plastic surgeons and cosmetic dentists, a source of unending criticism from many quarters, in particular rival Latin American pageants. As the Miss Venezuela broadcast lasts up to four hours long, with countless musical numbers and dances, rehearsals alone require weeks of preparation on the part of the contestants. Furthermore, contestants must devote countless hours to official photoshoots (lately done by Ivan Dumont, after several years by Daniel Alonso) and also to fittings by fashion designers. The evening gowns worn by candidates are a major source of politicking by Venezuela's domestic fashion houses, with top designers such as Mayela Camacho, Ángel Sanchez, Durant & Diego, and Jose Maria Almeida selecting candidates that they will dress for the final night, while other, newer designers compete to present designs for the pageant. As a general rule the evening gowns are always custom-designed for each of the candidates on the final night, and always by a Venezuelan designer. By tradition, Nidal Nouaihed dresses the representatives of his home state of Zulia (Miss Costa Oriental, Miss Peninsula Goajira, Miss Zulia); Ángel Sanchez designs the gown for Miss Trujillo; Jose Maria Almeida designs the dress for Miss Merida and the national costume for Miss Venezuela to Miss Universe. Only in 1999, 26 different designers took part of the evening gown competition, one candidate for each one. Also, in 2006, for the first time ever, the designers appeared on stage with the delegates, showing their fabulous creations.
The winners chosen to represent Venezuela in the major international pageants are accorded unparalleled fame and opportunities in the country and throughout Latin America, although they will further undergo continuous preparation to compete in those pageants. All these efforts, funded by corporate sponsors like Pepsi Cola, Palmolive, Colgate, Ebel and Lux -attracted to the pageant by ratings at times as high as 80% ratings- have been rewarded by an impressive record particularly at the Miss Universe contest. Between 1983 and 2003, Miss Venezuela placed into the semifinals each consecutive year, and between 1991 and 2003 into the final six. Venezuela has also twice held the two top international beauty crowns simultaneously: in 1981-1982 with Irene Saez (Miss Universe) and Pilin Leon (Miss World), and again in 1995-1996 with Alicia Machado (Miss Universe) and Jacqueline Aguilera (Miss World). This unmatched streak was ended in 2004 when Ana Karina Añez was eliminated from the finals held in Quito, Ecuador. It is said that Osmel Sousa will retire from his two decades of directing the pageant after seeing a Venezuelan crown another Venezuelan as Miss Universe- in a pageant where no country has ever won on consecutive years. In total, Venezuela has won over seventy international crowns under the guidance of the pageant, and the country's representatives never fail to bring back at least one international title each year.
[edit] Notable winners
Each "class" of Miss Venezuela is carefully composed, based on a general look or trend that the organizers are aiming for. Some have a high proportion of blondes (e.g. the 2005 class had 20 blondes versus 8 brunette candidates), while some a high mixture of mestizos and darker-skinned candidates. A very strong candidate may be pushed back a year or even two or three so that she can fully develop her potential. Nevertheless, there are "stronger" and "weaker" years, often determined by the presence of "filler" candidates that the press incessantly isolates. At the end, all that is needed is a handful of finalists to send to the international competitions to ultimately determine a good or a bad year, and the overall "quality" of the class often has no bearing on the final international outcome.
Winning the pageant is by no means a requisite for later success, which helps explain its intense popularity. Simply competing is enough to get a contestant noticed and launch her on a successful television or print career. At least a dozen well sought models come out of the pageant. Virtually all of Venezuela's female top models and television personalities are alumni of the pageant, including Maite Delgado (who competed in 1986 against future Miss Universe Bárbara Palacios). In fact, only Gaby Espino and several other entertainment figures stand out as never having competed in the pageant. Many of today's top young models, such as Onelises Brochero, Dayana Colmenares and Wendy Medina, have repeatedly been rejected by Miss Venezuela; on the other hand, Goizeder Azua and Desiree Pallota, who have variously been considered the top domestic supermodels in the country, joined the pageant after establishing their careers.
Nowadays, familiar faces on Spanish TV networks around the world include Catherine Fulop, Carolina Perpetuo, Norkys Batista, Daniela Kosán, Marjorie de Sousa, Chiquinquirá Delgado and Natalia Streignard. Two of the Latin world's most famous personalities, supermodel Patricia Velásquez and singer/actress Maria Conchita Alonso, also participated, in 1989 and 1975, respectively. Miss Universe 1981, Irene Saez, is perhaps most famous as the beauty queen who became mayor of part of metropolitan Caracas, governor, and high-profile presidential candidate in 1998. Interestingly, Miss Venezuela 1986, Bárbara Palacios, won the Miss Universe title just ahead of Miss USA Christy Fitchner, who in turn won Miss USA a few points ahead of Miss Ohio 1986, Halle Berry.
Many other national directors have often expressed their envy for the Miss Venezuela system, and for the established culture which promotes participation in pageants. Japanese model mogul Ines Ligron, appointed as Director of Miss Universe Japan in 1998 by Donald Trump, recently cited Venezuela as one country which holds an automatic advantage in recruitment: "Their culture teaches them from an early start to speak out, to be glamorous, and to turn heads." The trend looks unlikely to abate even if Venezuelans tire of the pageant itself. Jeff Lee, a former media designer for ex-Miss Venezuela and rising soap actress Monica Spear, writes that "There is a system built in place that makes participating in the pageant worthwhile, regardless of whether or not Venezuela's culture of beauty intensifies or subsides. Venezuela's national pageant operates as a subsidiary of the Grupo Cisneros. Since Gustavo Cisneros made a tremendous push to make his television stations Venevision and Univision the leading producer of Latin American telenovelas, the pageant has become a 'training ground' for women interested in acting and other television roles. It makes economic sense: the women who go into the beauty academy each year emerge with extensive dancing, speaking, and performing experience from the most popular TV program in Venezuela. They're trained in everything, including handling sustained media coverage which can go for months for the contestants who parlay Miss Venezuela into the international pageants. When alumni go to audition for future roles in the media, executives have already had a preview of how they perform in the public spotlight, and they're picking from women who are already known to the general public. The recruitment for television roles is basically performed by the pageant. You don't need to win Miss Universe to land roles as hostesses and soap actresses, as Daniela Kosan, Catherine Fullop, Maite Delgado Carolina Perpetuo and Marjorie de Sousa prove, and aspirants understand that simply making it onstage for the final night can be a ticket to fame."
[edit] Miss Venezuela and other countries
Some unsuccesful delegates in the pageant have used the Miss Venezuela training to catapult in other countries. Natascha Börger became the first Venezuelan to switch countries. She had placed 14th in Miss Venezuela 2000 before moving to Germany, where she won the Miss Deutschland pageant easily. At the Miss Universe 2002 pageant she gave a formidable performance, placing sixth behind Miss Venezuela 2002, Cynthia Lander by only a fraction of a point. Natascha has since gone on to become one of the most decorated beauty queens in history, sweeping numerous contests and placing in virtually every competition she has entered. The prospect of former contestants transferring their schooling to other countries seemed to become a reality when rumors flew that Astrid Carati, who had placed four spots ahead of Natascha in 2000, would go to Dominican Republic to contest that nation's crown. Though ultimately she did not compete in that country (where she would have gone up against future Miss Universe Amelia Vega), the rumors were enough to spur the pageant to allow former contestants (not winners) to try again. The policy was revoked after an experimental year.
In 2005, Francys Barraza Sudnicka, who represented Trujillo in Miss Venezuela 2003 and finished in the top ten, was a major favorite to win the Miss Poland title. She was too old to go to Miss World 2005 (the winner of Miss Poland is assigned to Miss World, the first runner-up to Miss Universe) and therefore considered highly likely to become Miss Poland Universe, but only placed into the semifinals after being knocked out by an interview question. In November 2005, it was announced that Francys has been appointed to the title of Miss Poland Universe, making her the country's official representative to Miss Universe 2006 and the second alumnus of the Miss Venezuela pageant to capture a foreign Miss Universe title.
Delegates with Italian heritage have also taken advantage from their schooling. There is a strong relationship between doing well in Miss Venezuela and the Miss Italia nel Mondo (Miss Italy in the World) pageant: all three Venezuelans who have won the latter placed in the final five of Miss Venezuela: Barbara Clara (Miss Amazonas 2004) Valentina Patruno (Miss Miranda 2003) and Silvana Santaella (Miss Península de Paraguaná 2003) Although in this case, they worn sashes representing Venezuela except Patruno, who wore USA sash. Vanessa Fanesi (Miss Yaracuy 2002) was 1st. runner-up in that contest.
It should be noted that the Miss Venezuela school of beauty achieved such fame in the late 1990s that numerous countries would petition to have their candidates trained by Osmel Sousa and the pageant's team. Among these countries were Colombia, Philippines, and Brazil. In 2003, Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic received training in the school before going on to win the Miss Universe pageant; Mariangel Ruiz, Miss Venezuela 2002 placed second behind her. The result was a ban from Venevision executives on the training of any foreign contestants. Nevertheless, designers of the Miss Venezuela pageant have provided support to other countries, including the new Miss Latvia Universe pageant which is run by Venezuelans (and Latvia's very first entry in the pageant went on to become a top 10 finalist).
In recent years the pageant organization has begun to "import" expatriates who have been working as international models. Miami alone has produced Valentina Patruno (Miss World Venezuela 2003), Andrea Gomez (Miss International Venezuela 2004), Monica Spear (Miss Venezuela 2004), and Ileana Jimenez (Miss Portuguesa 2005).
[edit] Further notes of interest
Between 2000 and 2002, the Miss Venezuela pageant was split into two contests: the Miss World Venezuela pageant, to elect the representative to Miss World, from which a reduced group of contestants would go on to compete in Miss Venezuela to go to the Miss Universe contest. In 2002, the organization merged the Miss World Venezuela contest with the Gala de Belleza, making the final "state cut" before the election of the Miss World representative. The two pageants were rejoined in 2003.
The most coveted symbol of the pageant, its crown, is a specially designed masterpiece by engineer George Wittels. It is changed about every five years, and is currently a heavy piece made out of white gold, platinum, silver, Austrian crystals and pearls. Since 2000 Miss World Venezuela carries a crown inlaid with turquoise. Winners retain their sash but are not allowed to keep the costly crowns which are passed from year to year and held in the headquarters at La Quinta Miss Venezuela.
The great pride the organization carries in its winners is never in dispute, although there remains, according to popular legend, regret for only one "stolen" crown: Carolina Izsak, Miss Venezuela 1991, considered by some the greatest winner produced. She was considered all but assured the Miss Universe 1992 crown when a mediocre interview score dropped her out of the final three. Interestingly, Michelle McLean of Namibia won the title that year, but was only a finalist several months before at Miss World 1991 which was won by Ninibeth Leal, who in turn lost the Miss Venezuela 1991 title to Carolina.
The thousands of venezuelan pageants fans agree that the country has had a lot of "stolen crowns" lately in the Miss Universe, such as Milka Chulina (1993) Minorka Mercado (1994) Marena Bencomo (1997) and Veruzka Ramírez (1998).
[edit] Order of succession
There has been considerable controversy in a number of major national pageants as to how to direct their contestants to Miss Universe, Miss World, and the other international contests. The reason for this issue is the dispute between the international pageants, who generally desire that the winner of a national contest be sent. Although many nations such as Italy and Germany have completely separate pageants for Miss Universe and Miss World, in the case of Miss Venezuela the national pageant organization must field candidates to almost all of the major world contests.
As of 2003, when the current system was put into place, the winners of the Miss Venezuela title (who goes to Miss Universe) and Miss World Venezuela are equal in rank. Nevertheless, the representative to Miss Universe is still announced last, and she is still considered the holder of the one single Miss Venezuela title. Nowadays, the final five finalists are announced during the telecast, followed by the elimination of the second and first runner-ups, then Miss Venezuela to Miss International, Miss Venezuela to Miss World, and Miss Venezuela to Miss Universe.
While this system is similar to that of Mexico and India, in Mexico the first runner-up is known as the "substitute" and in the order of succession automatically fills into any title above her that is emptied. For example, if "Nuestra Belleza Mexico Mundo" (Miss Mexico to Miss World) is unable to fulfill her duties, the first runner-up assumes her title. While the Miss Universe representative is similarly considered the "greater of the two equals," if her position is vacated, the first runner-up ascends to her crown, instead of Miss Mexico-World becoming Miss Mexico-Universe and the first runner-up going to Miss World. In India, however, the succession does follow the other option: the top three titles go Earth->World->Universe in rising order of importance (although they are also emphasized as "equals") and when Miss India World was dethroned in 2004, Miss India Earth replaced her, and the first runner-up was appointed to go to Miss Earth.
In Venezuela, neither policy of succession is explicitly laid down. Osmel Sousa makes the final decisions as to who is appointed when a vacancy arises; i.e. in 2003, there were significant rumors that Mariangel Ruiz might be replaced by Amara Barroeta, the first runner-up, to Miss Universe (and not Goizeder Azua, who was Miss World Venezuela). In fact, in 2003, the Miss International Pageant was concurrent with Miss Venezuela, meaning that it would be impossible to send a "fresh" contestant, and Osmel actually opted not to send Amara, who should have gone (as the first runner-up then was almost always automatically titled Miss Venezuela International) and instead replaced her with Goizeder Azua, who won Miss International 2003. Due to scheduling conflicts between Miss International and Miss Venezuela, a similar situation occurred in 2002 when Cynthia Lander, Miss Venezuela (Universe), gave up her crown to the next Miss Venezuela and immediately boarded a flight for Japan to participate in Miss International. The reasoning was that her first runner-up had already participated the year before, and it would have been ridiculous to crown a Miss Venezuela (International) and immediately send her on a plane to her contest with no specific preparation whatsoever. Thus, Miss Venezuela International now competes in the year after her coronation.
Ironically, the only time in the "modern" pageant that the famous "if the winner should not fulfill her duties, the first runner-up will take over" statement was made for Miss Venezuela was in 1999. The decision was made to send whoever won to Miss World first, and then to Miss Universe if she did not win. This policy was adopted after the consecutive eliminations of Cristina Dieckmann and Veronica Schneider in 1997 and 1998, both of whom were considered amongst the strongest Miss World Venezuelas in history and whose eliminations were seen by the organization as a signal that it needed to send its winner to Miss World. Therefore, in 1999, there were no Miss World Venezuela or Miss Venezuela International titles, only an official Miss Venezuela, who was Martina Thorogood. Her first runner-up, Norkys Batista, was told that she would become Miss Venezuela to Miss Universe only if Martina won the Miss World crown outright. Martina came in second at Miss World and she was expected continue on to Miss Universe 2000 the next year. However, due to a number of major controversies, she was barred from Miss Universe 2000 on the grounds that as the first runner-up to Miss World, she was contracted to the organization and would have to succeed to that title if Yukta Mookhey, the winner that year, did not complete her reign. Osmel also declared that Miss Universe demanded a winner from Venezuela, thereby barring Norkys Batista from succeeding to the title. The only option for Norkys to go was for Martina to renounce the Miss Venezuela title, which neither she nor the organization was willing to do. Therefore, a new emergency (and temporary pageant) was held, called Miss Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which was conducted among ten former contestants (some semifinalists and other no finalists) from the previous five years. The winner, Claudia Moreno, had placed as seventh in the semifinals behind Martina and Norkys in Miss Venezuela 1999, and she ended up performing excellently and becoming first runner-up to Miss Universe 2000. In years to come, 2002's first runner-up Amara Barroeta would join Norkys Batista as one of several runners-ups to be "denied" the chance to compete at a "big three" pageant.
In the USA and many other countries, an occasion when the order of succession comes into play is when the reigning titleholder wins her international contest, e.g. in 1997 when Brooke Mahealani Lee became Miss Universe and her first runner-up Brandi Sherwood became Miss USA. Interestingly, however, Venezuela does not have this official provision, even when the two "equal" winners both win Miss Universe and Miss World. In 1981, Miriam Quintana was considered somewhat unofficially as the serving Miss Venezuela, because both Irene Saez and Pilin Leon had won their respective pageants. However, in 1995-1996, when Alicia Machado took the Miss Universe title and Jacqueline Aguilera the Miss World crown, no new "Miss Venezuela" was appointed to hold the crown while they reigned internationally, though some newspapers said that Carla Steinkopf, Miss International Venezuela 1995, would give the crown to the 1996 winner.
[edit] Trivia
Although the Miss Venezuela pageant, like any other beauty pageant in the world has often been criticized for being a "playground of the rich" (particularly in its allocation of titles for Carabobo state's "elite" families) it actually pays for virtually all the training expenses a candidate requires, regardless of her background.
On a related note, the "fairy tale" stories of Miss Venezuela are several, most recently being Eleidy Aparicio's surprise placement as Miss Venezuela-International in 2003. Aparicio, who came from a humble background, was first dropped from the contest during the television vote-off that occurred in the 2003 edition, only to be "rescued" in the last preliminary vote. Not at all a favorite to even enter the semifinals, her warm personality and eloquence won her the third place in the pageant, beating major favorites Silvana Santaella and Mercedes Pulido.
Veruska Ramirez, Miss Venezuela 1997 (and first runner-up to Miss Universe 1998), remains the ultimate Cinderella of the pageant, much in the fashion of Vanessa Mendoza (Miss Colombia 2002). Abandoned by her father and raised in foster homes, she was a waitress of little means in the western state of Tachira until the reigning Miss Venezuela, Marena Bencomo, and her court visited the state on a publicity tour. Veruska, who had lost a local pageant to select the queen of the San Cristobal fair, ran up to the visiting beauty queens to ask for an autograph. They were so impressed with her height and exotic look that they immediately urged her to apply for the pageant. After months of training and making the difficult journey across the country to reside in Caracas, Veruska was awarded the title of Miss Tachira. The final night of the pageant was one of the most-contested in history, with the early favorites Cristina Dieckmann (Nueva Esparta) and Daniela Kosan (Aragua) expected to seize the crowns. After tying with Dieckmann during the presentation categories, Veruska broke into a lead by only a few precious points after a jaw-dropping appearance in evening gown, eventually seizing the Miss Venezuela crown and later nearly winning the Miss Universe title outright.
Very few black women have ever participated in the pageant, but when they do, they always sweep the contest: Ana María Amorer (third, 1994) Carolina Indriago (winner, 1998); Angélica Guvernez (fourth, 1998); Dayra Lambis (fifth, 1998); Aineta Stephens (fourth, 2000); and Stephanie Thomas (fourth, 2004); Susan Carizzo (second 2005), and Jictzad Vina (first 2005).
The ideal measurements for a contestant in Miss Venezuela are 90-60-90. Officially a minimum height of 5'7" is required, but winners are most often at least 5'9" and actually average 5'11" in height.
Maria Andreina Abrahamz (Miss Vargas 2002) was appointed Miss Vargas in 1998, but withdrew due to illness. She represented the state 22 years after her half-sister, famous actress Hilda Abrahamz, wore the title to become Miss World Venezuela 1980.
At its height Miss Venezuela commissioned a wardrobe worth up to half a million US dollars for the Miss Universe contest. In 2000, Claudia Moreno carried several hundred articles of clothing, two dozen pairs of shoes, a dozen pairs of swimsuits, four full-length evening gowns, a handmade national costume, and a dozen purses to Cyprus for the pageant. All of the pieces were custom-made by top Venezuelan designers as well as Carolina Herrera and Escada.
A Miss Venezuela candidate will spend up to three hours a day, for four to five months, in a gym working on cardiovacular exercises and with weights to prepare for the pageant. In 1997 the Miss Venezuela school, which teaches candidates everything from diction to walking to current events and politics, ran hours from 7 in the morning to past midnight.
Between 1977 and 1984, there were intermittent backstage revolts against the results of the pageant. Among the most spectacular moments was in 1977 when Vilma Goliz, Miss Falcon, tore off her sash as first runner-up and stormed off the stage.
Though she was the first Venezuelan to take the Miss Universe crown, an honor the grateful nation paid homage to 25 years later in the Miss Venezuela 2004 pageant, Maritza Sayalero did not have easy victories. When she won the Miss Venezuela 1979 title, her first runner-up Maria Fernanda Ramirez refused to acknowledge the results; her family then attacked the jury, with her mother and brother physically accosting the judges. Maritza recovered enough of her legendary poise to take the Miss Universe title in Australia, but immediately after the live telecast ended the stage collapsed as too many journalists and photographers stormed to get a photograph of the new queen. She managed to save another contestant from falling into the gaping hole left in the middle of the set, although several unfortunate women including Miss Turkey and Miss Brazil were injured.
While the representatives of Distrito Capital (Caracas) have done extremely well historically in the pageant, there has been a run of bad performances at the interview round for the contestants representing Venezuela's capital. In 2001, Cynthia Lander famously failed to name three books that had influenced her life; in 2003, Mercedes Pulido hesitated, unable to finish her question without prompting by Gilberto Correa; and in 2006 the audience mercilessly taunted Andreina Bruni halfway through her response. Despite their fiascos at the interview stand, Lander won the crown, Pulido was second runner-up (fifth place), and Bruni placed sixth.
Vanessa Peretti, Miss Sucre 2006, nearly became the first deaf mute winner of the pageant (and thus contestant at the Miss Universe contest). She placed third, winning the Miss Venezuela International crown, while reportedly delivering such an emotive performance in her preliminary interview that the jury was moved to tears.
Traditionally, the three crowns conferred by the pageant (Universe, World, International) have passed sequentially from each titleholder to the next. In their absence, either Osmel Sousa as president of the pageant or a former winner of the world title has performed the honor--i.e. in the years when the reigning Miss Venezuela to Miss World was unavailable to crown her successor, Jacqueline Aguilera (Venezuela's Miss World 1995) would perform the honors. Technically, in 2000 the tradition was broken (Martina Thorogood crowned Vanessa Cardenas as Miss World Venezuela, and placed the sash to Miss Universe on Eva Ekvall). However, in 2006 for the first time two women held a national title simultaneously: Federica Guzman was crowned Miss World Venezuela 2006 in an emergency pageant in July 2006 by Osmel Sousa, but the previous year's winner Susan Carrizo passed the crown and sash to Claudia Suarez in the main national pageant in September 2006. Ceremonially speaking, at least, Carrizo held her title for the whole calendar year, even though Guzman was crowned near the end of her reign.
[edit] Venezuelan representatives to Miss Universe
1952 - Sofia Silva Inserry
1953 - Gisela Bolaños Scarton
1954 - No Representative
1955 - Carmen Susana Duijm Zubillaga - Semifinalist
1956 - Blanca Heredia Osio - Semifinalist
1957 - Consuelo Leticia Nouel Gomez
1958 - Ida Margarita Pieri
1959 - No Representative
1960 - Mary Quiroz Delgado (appointment)
1961 - Anasaria (Ana Griselda) Vegas Albornoz
1962 - Virginia Elizabeth Bailey Lazzari
1963 - Irene Amelia Morales Machado
1964 - Mercedes Revenga de la Rosa - Semifinalist
1965 - María Auxiliadora de las Casas McGill
1966 - Magaly Beatriz Castro Egui
1967 - Mariela Pérez Branger - 1st runner up
1968 - Peggy Kopp Arenas - 3rd runner up
1969 - María José Yellici Sánchez
1970 - Bella Mercedes La Rosa de la Rosa - Semifinalist
1971 - Jeanette Amelia Donzella Sánchez
1972 - María Antonieta Cámpoli Prisco - 2nd runner up
1973 - Desirée Facchinei Rolando
1974 - Neyla Chiquinquirá Moronta Sangronis
1975 - Maritza Pineda Montoya
1976 - Judith Josefina Castillo Uribe* - 1st runner up
1977 - Cristal del Mar Montañez Arocha - Semifinalist
1978 - Marisol Alfonzo Marcano
1979 - Maritza Sayalero Fernández - MISS UNIVERSE 1979
1980 - María Xavier (Maye) Brandt Angulo
1981 - Irene Lailing Sáez Conde - MISS UNIVERSE 1981
1982 - Ana Teresa Oropeza Villavicencio
1983 - Paola Laura Ruggeri Ghigo - Semifinalist
1984 - Carmen María Montiel Avila - 2nd runner up
1985 - Silvia Cristina Martínez Stapulionis - 3rd runner up
1986 - Bárbara Palacios Teyde - MISS UNIVERSE 1986
1987 - Inés Maria Calero Rodríguez - 3rd runner up
1988 - Yajaira Cristina Vera Roldán - Semifinalist
1989 - Eva Lisa Larsdottir Ljung - Semifinalist
1990 - Andreína Katarina Goetz Blohm - Semifinalist
1991 - Jackeline Rodriguez Strefezza (appointment) - Finalist
1992 - Carolina Eva Izsak Kemenyfy - Finalist
1993 - Milka Yelisava Chulina Urbanich - 2nd runner up
1994 - Minorka Marisela Mercado Carrero - 2nd runner up
1995 - Denyse del Carmen Floreano Camargo - Finalist
1996 - Joseph Alicia Machado Fajardo - MISS UNIVERSE 1996
1997 - Marena Josefina Bencomo Giménez - 1st runner up
1998 - Veruska Tatiana Ramírez - 1st runner up
1999 - Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto - Finalist
2000 - Claudia Cristina Moreno González** - 1st runner up
2001 - Eva Mónica Anna Ekvall Johnson - 3rd runner up
2002 - Cynthia Cristina Lander Zamora - 4th runner up
2003 - Mariangel Ruiz Torrealba - 1st runner up
2004 - Ana Karina Áñez Delgado
2005 - Mónica Spear Mootz - 4th runner up
2006 - Jictzad Nakarhyt Viña Carreño
2007 - Lydimar Carolina Jonaitis Escalona
- * Barely thirty-six (36) hours after being crowned Miss Venezuela 1976, Elluz Peraza gave up her title to get married and was succeeded by Judith Castillo.
- ** In 2000, the Miss Universe Organization refused the entry of Martina Thorogood, Miss Venezuela 1999 after placing second at Miss World 1999 and as well as that of her first runner-up Norkys Batista to the 2000 Miss Universe contest. The move forced the Miss Venezuela Organization to hold a snap pageant called Miss Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela (composed of former Miss Venezuela contestants from previous years) to select Venezuela's delegate to that year's pageant held in Nicosia, Cyprus.
[edit] Venezuelan representatives to Miss World
1955 - Carmen Susana Duijm Zubillaga - MISS WORLD 1955
1956 - Celsa Drucila Pieri
1957 - Consuelo Leticia Nouel Gómez
1958 - Ida Margarita Pieri
1959 - No Representative
1960 - Miriam Estevez Acevedo
1961 - Bexy Romero Tosta
1962 - Betzabeth Franco Blanco - Semifinalist
1963 - Milagros Galíndez Castillo
1964 - Mercedes Hernández Nieves - Semifinalist
1965 - Nancy Elizabeth González Aceituno
1966 - Jeanette Kopp Arenas
1967 - Irene Böttger Herrera
1968 - Maria Dolores (Cherry) Nuñez Rodríguez
1969 - Marzia Piazza Suprani - 4th runner up
1970 - Tomasita Nina de Las Casas
1971 - Ana Maria Padrón Ibarranda - Semifinalist
1972 - Amalia Heller Gómez
1973 - Edicta García Oporto
1974 - Alicia Rivas Serrano
1975 - María de la Concepción (María Conchita) Alonso Bustillos - Finalist
1976 - Maria Genoveva Rivero Giménez - Semifinalist
1977 - Jackeline van den Branden
1978 - Katty Patricia Tóffoli Andrade - Semifinalist
1979 - Tatiana Capote Abdel
1980 - Hilda Astrid Abrahamz Navarro - Semifinalist
1981 - Carmen Josefina (Pilín) León Crespo - MISS WORLD 1981
1982 - Michelle Marie Shoda Belloso
1983 - Carolina del Valle Cerruti Duijm
1984 - Astrid Carolina Herrera Irazábal - MISS WORLD 1984
1985 - Ruddy Rosario Rodríguez de Lucía - 3rd runner up
1986 - Maria Begoña Juaristi Matteo - 4th runner up
1987 - Albany Josefina Lozada Jiménez - 1st runner up
1988 - Emma Irmgard Marina Rabbe Ramírez - 3rd runner up
1989 - Fabiola Chiara Candosin Marchetti
1990 - Sharon Raquel Luengo González - 2nd runner up
1991 - Ninibeth Beatriz Leal Jiménez - MISS WORLD 1991
1992 - Francis del Valle Gago Aponte - 2nd runner up
1993 - Mónica Lei Scaccia - 4th runner up
1994 - Irene Ester Ferreira Izquierdo - 2nd runner up
1995 - Jacqueline María Aguilera Marcano - MISS WORLD 1995
1996 - Ana Cepinska Misczak - 4th runner up
1997 - Christina Dieckmann Jimenez
1998 - Veronica Schneider Rodriguez
1999 - Martina Thorogood Heemsen - 1st runner up
2000 - Vanessa Maria Cárdenas Bravo
2001 - Andreina del Carmen Prieto Rincón
2002 - Goizeder Victoria Azúa Barrios - Semifinalist
2003 - Valentina Patruno Macero - Semifinalist
2004 - Andrea Maria Milroy Diaz
2005 - Berliz Susan Carrizo Escandela
2006 - Alexandra Federica Guzmán Diamante* - Semifinalist
2007 - Claudia Paola Suárez Fernández
- * The Miss World Organization has announced that Miss World 2006 will be held in Poland on September 30, three months ahead of schedule. The Miss Venezuela Org. decided to return to the "emergency" system used in 2000-01 and hold a special pageant, Miss World Venezuela 2006. The winner was Federica Guzmán, selected to represent Venezuela in Miss World 2006.
Information courtesy of www.pageantopolis.com
[edit] Venezuelan representatives to Miss International
1960 - Gladys (Laly) Ascanio Arredondo - Semifinalist
1961 - Gloria Lilué Chaljub
1962 - Olga Antonetti Nuñez - Semifinalist
1963 - Norah Luisa Duarte Rojas
1964 - Lisla Silva Negrón - Semifinalist
1965 - Thamara Josefina Leal
1966 - No Pageant
1967 - Cecilia Picón-Febres
1968 - Jovan Navas Ravelo
1969 - Cristina Keusch Pérez - Semifinalist
1970 - Marzia Rita Gisela Piazza Suprani
1971 - Sonia Zaya Ledezma Corvo
1972 - Marilyn Plessman Martínez - Semifinalist
1973 - Hilda Elvira Carrero García - Semifinalist
1974 - Marisela Carderera Marturet
1975 - Maria del Carmen Yamel Díaz Rodríguez
1976 - Betzabeth Ayala - Semifinalist
1977 - Betty Paredes
1978 - Doris Beatriz Fueyo Moreno
1979 - Nilza Josefina Moronta Sangronis
1980 - Graciela Lucía Rosanna La Rosa Guarneri
1981 - Miriam Quintana - Semifinalist
1982 - Amaury Martínez Macero
1983 - Donnatella (Donna) Bottone Tiranti
1984 - Miriam Leyderman Eppel - 1st runner up
1985 - Alejandrina (Nina) Sicilia Hernández - MISS INTERNATIONAL 1985
1986 - Nancy Josefina Gallardo Quiñones - Semifinalist
1987 - Begoña Victoria (Vicky) García Varas - Semifinalist
1988 - Maria Eugenia Duarte Lugo
1989 - Beatriz Carolina Omaña Trujillo - 2nd runner up
1990 - Vanessa Cristina Holler Noel - Semifinalist
1991 - Niurka Auristela Acevedo
1992 - Maria Eugenia Rodríguez Noguera - Semifinalist
1993 - Rina Faviola Mónica Spitale Baiamonte - Semifinalist
1994 - Milka Yelisava Chulina Urbanich - Semifinalist
1995 - Ana Maria Amorer Guerrero - 1st runner up
1996 - Carla Andreína Steinkopf Struve - Semifinalist
1997 - Consuelo Adler Hernández - MISS INTERNATIONAL 1997
1998 - Daniela Kosán Montcourt - 1st runner up
1999 - Andreína Mercedes Llamozas González - Semifinalist
2000 - Vivian Ines Urdaneta Rincón - MISS INTERNATIONAL 2000
2001 - Aura Consuelo Zambrano Alejos - 1st runner up
2002 - Cynthia Cristina Lander Zamora
2003 - Goizeder Victoria Azúa Barrios - MISS INTERNATIONAL 2003
2004 - Eleidy María Aparicio Serrano
2005 - María Andrea Gómez Vasquez - Semifinalist
2006 - Daniela Anette di Giacomo di Giovanni - MISS INTERNATIONAL 2006
2007 - Vanessa Jackeline Gómez Peretti
[edit] External links
