Miss Puerto Rico is the common name or sash used to identify a Puerto Rican representative in an international pageant. Currently, Miss Universe Puerto Rico, Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico and Miss Earth Puerto Rico are the official national preliminaries to the Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Earth international pageants. Each year both events are held to select representatives from the island to both contests.
In addition, Miss Puerto Rico International and the Miss Puerto Rico Scholarship Program select official representatives to the Miss International and Miss America pageants, respectively.
Contents |
Miss Universe Puerto Rico | |
---|---|
Logo of the Miss Universe Puerto Rico event. |
|
Formation | 1952 |
Type | Beauty Pageant |
Headquarters | San Juan, PR |
Location | Puerto Rico |
Official languages | Spanish |
President | Desiree Lowry |
Key people | Desirée Lowry Luisito Vigoreaux |
Website | Official website |
In its various forms, the "Miss Puerto Rico" beauty pageant has been almost held every year since the 1950s. The winner of the contest represents Puerto Rico at the Miss Universe pageant each year.
The selection of Miss Puerto Rico commences the year before the winner advances to participate in the Miss Universe pageant. Each Puerto Rican city may choose a representative who then enters the Miss Puerto Rico finals, traditionally held at a San Juan area hotel. The winner is crowned at the conclusion of the final competition.
There have been three changes in the organization that led to modifications in the pageant's name. "Miss Puerto Rico" was held from 1952 until 1998 under the direction of Anna Santisteban, in 1996 the pageant lost the franchise for Miss Universe. From 1996 to 1998 Telemundo organized the event, under the name "Miss Universe Puerto Rico". From 1999 to 2002 TeleOnce (now Univision Puerto Rico) obtained the franchise and renamed it "Miss Puerto Rico Universe". Magali Febles organized the pageant between 2003 and 2009 and the pageant title has remained the same. In 2009, Desireé Lowry and Luisito Vigoreaux obtained the Miss Universe franchise and renamed the pageant "Miss Universe Puerto Rico".
The Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageant has now turned to technology to reach more people through the use of podcasting. Starting with the 2006 pageant, Miss Puerto Rico Universe became the first pageant of the Miss Universe franchise to have a podcast.[1] In this, Wilton Vargas, an international multi-media and technology personality, interviews all contestants with the goal of helping people get to know them better so that they can participate in the voting process using cell phones. This podcast is published as a section in technology news and information website Tecnetico.com and various podcast directories, including iTunes.
Delegates are allowed to compete more than once at the Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant, the caveat being that they are not allowed to compete again after they have won. For example, Cynthia Olavarria placed first runner-up in 2003 and returned in 2005, winning the title and placing first runner-up at Miss Universe. A number of delegates and winners have competed in the "Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico" (Miss World Puerto Rico) pageant, a preliminary to the Miss World pageant. There are frequently crossovers between the two pageants: for example Joyce Giraud was crowned Miss Puerto Rico twice by Ana Rosa Brito, first in 1994 as Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico, then in 1998 as Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico is one of the most successful competitors in the history of the Miss Universe pageant, having won five times. Marisol Malaret, Miss Puerto Rico 1970, was the first Puerto Rican to win the Miss Universe title. The four other Puerto Rican delegates who have won the Miss Universe title are Deborah Carthy Deu (1985), Dayanara Torres (1993), Denise Quiñones (2001), and Zuleyka Rivera (2006).
In November 7, 2011 Miss Universe Puerto Rico makes history, by selecting the first woman that is not born in Puerto Rico and will represent it in Miss Universe. Bodine Koehler Peña was crowned as Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2012. Koehler was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and a Dominican mother, but grew up in Puerto Rico.[2]
Year | Miss Puerto Rico Universe | Town Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Bodine Koehler Peña | Río Grande | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2011 | Viviana Ortiz Pastrana | Corozal | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2010 | Mariana Paola Vicente Morales | Río Grande | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2009 | Mayra Matos Pérez | Cabo Rojo | Hato Rey, Puerto Rico |
|
2008 | Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos | Dorado | Santurce, Puerto Rico |
|
2007 | Wilmadilis "Uma" Blasini Pérez | Guayanilla | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2006 | Zuleyka Jerrís Rivera Mendoza | Salinas | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2005 | Cynthia Enid Olavarría Rivera | Salinas | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2004 | Alba Giselle Reyes Santos | Cidra | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2003 | Carla Tricoli Rodríguez | Vieques | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
2002 | Isis Marie Casalduc González | Utuado | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico | |
---|---|
Logo of the Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico event. |
|
Formation | 1959 |
Type | Beauty Pageant |
Headquarters | San Juan, PR |
Location | Puerto Rico |
President | Julia Morley |
Key people | Delia Cruz |
Along with Miss Puerto Rico Universe, Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico is one of the most important national pageants in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico debuted in Miss World in 1959, then was absent from 1960 to 1969.
In 1970 a new organization took the responsibility of sending contestants until 1985 via castings. Puerto Rico did not compete in Miss World from 1986 to 1988. The Miss Puerto Rico organization, directed by Anna Santisteban, obtained the Miss World franchise in 1989 and sent the first runner-up of Miss Puerto Rico to Miss World until 1995.
In 1996, Delia Cruz, mother of Puerto Rico's only Miss World Wilnelia Merced Cruz, obtained the franchise and began organizing the Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico pageant whose winner has been competing ever since in the international pageant. Puerto Rico has produced one winner (1975), two 2nd runners-up (2005, 2011) and ten semifinalists (1976, 1978, 1980, 1985, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010). In 2011, Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico is Amanda Victoria Vilanova Pérez, who was crowned by Yara Lasanta.
Year | Titleholder | City | Placement | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Amanda Victoria Vilanova Pérez | San Juan | 2nd Runner-up | Miss World Caribbean 2011 |
2010 | Yara Liz Lasanta Santiago | Barranquitas |
|
|
2009 | Jennifer Colón Alvarado | Bayamón |
|
|
2008 | Ivonne Marie Orsini López | San Juan |
|
|
2007 | Jennifer Guevara Campos | Orocovis |
|
|
2006 | Thebyam Carrión Álvarez | Arecibo |
|
|
2005 | Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos | Dorado |
|
Miss World Caribbean 2005 |
2004 | Cassandra Castro Holland | Luquillo |
|
|
2003 | Joyceline Montero García | Bayamón |
|
|
2002 | Cassandra Polo Berríos | Guaynabo |
|
|
2001 | Bárbara Serrano Negrón | Vieques |
|
|
The first Puerto Rican delegate in Miss International was Carmen Sara Látimer, sent in 1960. Since 1960, Puerto Rico has produced one winner (Laurie Tamara Simpson in 1987), one 3rd Runner-up and nine semifinalists. The Miss Puerto Rico pageant had the Miss International franchise from 1960 to 1997, after a two-year hiatus, a new pageant was created called Miss Puerto Rico Turismo that sent representatives until 2007 when a new organization acquired the franchise (Creative Options Inc. - Mr Fernando Oquendo Vega).
Year | Titleholder | City | Placement at Miss International | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Desireé Del Río De Jesús | Bayamón |
|
|
2010 | Aideliz Hidalgo Betances | San Juan |
|
|
2009 | Mónica Cristina Pastrana González | Manatí |
|
|
2008 | Miriam Ivette Pabón Carrión | Juncos |
|
|
2007 | Haydil Rivera Escobales | Adjuntas |
|
|
2006 | Sharon Haydée Gómez Díaz | Mayagüez |
|
Miss Goodwill |
2005 | Dinorah Collazo | Orocovis |
|
|
2004 | Meredith Herrera Morales | Toa Alta |
|
|
2003 | Dignelis Taymí Jiménez Hernández | Arecibo |
|
|
2002 | Mariela Lugo Marín | Yauco |
|
|
2001 | Lorena Otero Pérez |
|
|
Puerto Rico sent its very first representative to Miss Earth in 2001 with Amaricelys Reyes Guzmán. A Puerto Rican delegate is yet to win the title but it has produced one finalist in Miss Earth 2005 edition. The Miss Puerto Rico Universe organization sent representatives to Miss Earth between 2002–2004.
Year | Titleholder | City | Placement at Miss Earth | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Amaricelys Reyes Guzmán | Isabela |
|
|
2002 | Deidre Rodríguez Santiago | Santa Isabel |
|
|
2003 | Norelis Ortíz Acosta | Toa Baja |
|
|
2004 | Shanira Mariette Blanco Colón | Carolina |
|
|
2005 | Vanessa De Roide Toledo | Carolina |
|
|
2006 | Camille Collazo Ortíz | Orocovis |
|
|
2007 | No Contestant | |||
2008 | Nathalie Del Mar Cuevas Suárez | Salinas | Did not compete | |
2009 | Dignelis Taymi Jiménez Hernández | Arecibo |
|
|
2010 | Yeidy Enid Bosques Pérez | Mayagüez |
|
|
2011 | Agnes Eileen Benítez Santiago | Cataño |
|
|
As of 2010, Puerto Rico will send a delegate to the Miss America pageant,[3] this will be the first time Puerto Rico will do so since 1961.
Year | Titleholder | Placement at Miss America [4] | Special Awards |
---|---|---|---|
1948 | Irma Nydia Vasquez |
|
|
1949 | Marlene Carozzo |
|
|
1950 | Avelina Medrallo |
|
|
1951 | Evangelina Moragon |
|
|
1952 | Otilia Jimenez, Evangelina Moragon |
|
|
1953 | Helga Edmee Monroig |
|
|
1954 | Nydia Power |
|
|
1955 | Maria del Carmen Mejias |
|
|
1956 | Gladys Rodríguez |
|
|
1958 | Winnie Rodriguez |
|
|
1961 | Rosita Giusti |
|
Miss Congeniality |
2009 | Miriam Ivette Pabón Carrión |
|
|
2010 | Mariselle Morales |
|
|
2011 | Laura Ramirez |
The first Puerto Rican to get the crown was Melissa Marty in 2008.
Year | Titleholder | City | Placement at Nuestra Belleza Latina | Before/After NBL |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Yara Liz Lasanta Santiago | Barranquitas |
|
|
2007 | Madelis Soto Martínez | Bayamón |
|
|
2008 | Melissa Marty Caro | Caguas |
|
|
2008 | Natalia Rivera Piñero | Toa Alta |
|
|
2008 | Aideliz Hidalgo Betances | Cayey |
|
|
2009 | Mónica Cristina Pastrana González | Arecibo |
|
|
2009 | Chastelyn Rodriguez | San Juan |
|
|
2009 | Stephanie Figueroa | Bayamón |
|
|
2010 | Tatiana Marie Delgado Quiñones | Canóvanas |
|
|
2011 | Darla Delgado | Camuy |
|
|
2011 | Gredmarie Colón | Caguas |
|
|
2011 | Patricia Corcino | Caguas |
|
|
There are other international pageants that do not receive as much publicity as the Big Four, but that nevertheless have given Puerto Rico some additional beauty queens:
|
|
A Puerto Rican delegate is yet to win a Miss Globe International or Miss Tourism Queen International pageant. Another pageants are Miss Puerto Rico Petite and Miss Puerto Rico Teen managed by Luis Santiago Productions. The Miss America Puerto Rico Scholarship Program also celebrates its Teen version, Miss Puerto Rico Outstanding Teen. Some women of Puerto Rican descent have competed at Miss USA such as Susie Castillo who won the title of Miss USA 2003 and then later placed as a semi-finalist at the Miss Universe 2003 pageant. Gloria Almonte competed at the Miss USA 2007 pageant but did not place, however she had previously placed 1st Runner-up at the Miss Teen USA 2001 pageant. Since 2000, created the male beauty contest, Misters of Puerto Rico. This is the male version of female beauty contest Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
|
|
|
|
|