Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008

Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008
Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008
Date	November 23, 2007
Presenters	Desiree Lowry, Osvaldo Ríos
Venue	Centro de Bellas Artes, Santurce, San Juan
Broadcaster	Telemundo
Entrants	30
Placements	13
Winner	Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos Dorado
Congeniality	Letty Perez Canóvanas
Photogenic	Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos Dorado

The 53rd Annual Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant was held at the Centro de Bellas Artes on November 23, 2007 in the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico, televised live by Telemundo Puerto Rico. It was presented by Desiree Lowry and Osvaldo Ríos with performances by Puerto Rican singer Kany García.

Uma Blasini, who won the title of Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2007, crowned her successor Ingrid Marie Rivera of Dorado as Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008, who represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Results

Placements

Special awards

Contestants

Municipality	Contestant
Aguadilla	Elisabeth Rivera
Arecibo	Delorean Torres
Barceloneta	Jedith Marie Crespo
Barranquitas	Celia Colón
Bayamón	Ivelisse Del Valle
Caguas	Melissa Marty
Canóvanas	Letty Pérez
Carolina	Yaritza Montalvo
Comerío	Cristina Paola Torres
Comunidad Puertorriqueña en Estados Unidos	Lees Darian Garcia
Corozal	Sandybell de Jesús Agosto
Dorado	Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos
Fajardo	Bianca Castro
Guayama	María Noelis Rosario
Guaynabo	Francoise Mugnano
Gurabo	Nicole Vega
Hatillo	Jennifer M. Sánchez
Isabela	Amanda Díaz
Juana Díaz	Vanessa Méndez
Lares	Luz Iraida Morales
Ponce	Mónica Alvarado
Salinas	Nathalie Cuevas
San Juan	Mayra Griselle Iglesias
San Sebastián	Cristina Mariel Larregui
Santurce	Claudia Alejandra Cruz
Trujillo Alto	Kristina Ruisánchez
Utuado	Maribel Montalvo
Vega Alta	Elisa Acevedo
Villalba	Marjorie Crystal Castillo
Yauco	Dayline Caraballo

Controversy

Conflict between the candidates and Pageant officials began when it was revealed that Ingrid Marie Rivera would be a candidate at this year's pageant. Prior to the Miss Puerto Rico Universe competition, Rivera had participated in several major beauty pageants. In 2005 she won the title of Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico (Miss Puerto Rico World) following her win she competed at the Miss World pageant placing 2nd runner-up and obtained the title of Miss Caribbean World. In 2003, she also held the title of Miss Global Queen. Rivera was also a judge at last year's Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant won by Uma Blasini. Candidates were concerned about Rivera, they felt as if she should not be allowed to compete and feared that Rivera's previous pageant experience would favor her in the competition and help her win the pageant.

Pageant night

Rivera was booed by some members of the crowd in her swimsuit, evening gown, and final question competitions. Despite it all Rivera won the title, although her victory is portrayed as an unfair win. Three days after the pageant was over an even bigger controversy arouse when it was revealed Rivera's belongings had been stolen while the competition was undergoing. Also Rivera's gown and makeup had been coated with pepper spray, causing redness and itchiness in her skin during the pageant. This incident has made headlines nationwide and is now being investigated by officers to determine who is responsible for this.

Evidence

At first police said tests showed no traces of capsicum, the pepper spray's active ingredient, disproving the alleged sabotage of Rivera's clothing during the competition. Police are now investigating and questioning if the alleged sabotage against Rivera is a true story or a publicity stunt. Rivera, pageant officials, and even Magali Febles who is the owner of the Miss Puerto Rico Universe organization could possibly be submitted to a lie detector test. The investigation continued for the next couple of weeks.

None of the participants have publicly admitted seeing Rivera with any type of reaction during the competition nor seeing anyone with a suspicious behavior that could lead to a suspect. The delegates from the towns of Santurce, Guaynabo, Bayamón, Salinas, Fajardo and Utuado appeared on national television, on shows like "The Tyra Banks Show" and "The Today Show" saying they were skeptical about the veracity of this incident since none of them knew anything about it until days after the pageant was over. After a few weeks during the investigation, a swimsuit and a second gown were tested, and pepper spray was found.

Notes

• Miss Dorado, Ingrid Rivera, represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam where she failed to place in the semi-finals. She also previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World 2005 in Sanya, China where she finished as 2nd runner-up and obtained the title of Miss Caribbean.
• Miss Utuado, Maribel Montalvo, later competed Miss World Puerto Rico 2008 where she finished as 2nd runner-up.
• Miss Caguas, Melissa Marty, later became Nuestra Belleza Latina 2008.
• Miss Trujillo Alto, Kristina Ruisánchez, later represented Puerto Rico at Miss Continente Americano 2008 where she finished as 1st runner-up.
• Miss Comunidad Puertorriqueña en Estados Unidos, Lees Darian, later represented Cuba at Miss Grand International 2014 where she became the pageants second winner.

External links

• Interviews in the miss universe 2008
• Miss Puerto Rico Official message board