Miss Universe Puerto Rico

Last updated

Miss Universe Puerto Rico Organization
Formation1952;72 years ago (1952)
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss Universe
Official language
Spanish
Key people
Yizette Cifredo
(National Director)
Website muniversepr.com

Miss Universe Puerto Rico is a national beauty pageant in Puerto Rico, held annually since 1952. Currently, the pageant is responsible for selecting Puerto Rico's delegates to Miss Universe. Since 2018, the organization is owned by Hemisphere Media Group, and the annual competition is broadcast on WAPA TV and WAPA América. After Hemisphere Media Group acquired the rights of the franchise, Denise Quiñones, was appointed as the director of the organization.

Contents

Traditionally, the organization begins castings of the contestants in April. The delegates of each municipality go through months of training and workshops. The pageant's preliminary and final night are held in September. The winner of the title of Miss Puerto Rico Universe goes to compete in Miss Universe, traditionally held in December.

History

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, Luisito Vigoreaux and Desireé Lowry 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 Olavarría placed 1st runner-up in 2003 and returned in 2005, winning the title and placing 1st 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).

On November 7, 2011, Miss Universe Puerto Rico selected the first woman who was not born in Puerto Rico to represent the island at Miss Universe 2012. 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, and grew up in Puerto Rico. [2]

On February 5, 2018, it was announced that Luisito Vigoreaux and Desiree Lowry had lost the rights to the franchise, with WME/IMG awarding rights to WAPA-TV. [3]

On February 15, 2018, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2001 and Miss Universe 2001 winner Denise Quiñones was named as the pageant's national director. [4]

Controversy

Nationality of contestants

In 2011, after Bodine Koehler Peña was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2012, people started to question her nationality. Koehler Peña was born in the Netherlands, her father is Dutch and her mother is Dominican. Regarding the criticism, Koehler Peña said: "I want to clarify a point about my nationality and that is that I am Puerto Rican and I feel very proud to represent Puerto Rico. I was born in the Netherlands, but I came here when I was very little and my family is here too." [5] After the strong criticism, the national director of the pageant at that time, Desiree Lowry, explained that the rules of the contest establish that the participants must be citizens of the country and have lived in it for a minimum of six months. [6]

Titleholders

Representatives of Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe pageant. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Key

Miss Universe Puerto Rico

In 2009, Luisito Vigoreaux and Desireé Lowry obtained the Miss Universe franchise and renamed the pageant "Miss Universe Puerto Rico". Since 2018, the organization is owned by Hemisphere Media Group, and the annual competition is broadcast on WAPA TV and WAPA América. After Hemisphere Media Group acquired the rights of the franchise, Denise Quiñones, was appointed as the organization's director. In 2022, Yizette Cifredo became the organization's national director.

YearMunicipalityTitleholderPlacement at Miss UniverseNotes
2024 Orocovis Jennifer Colón Alvarado TBA
2023 Patillas Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo [12] Top 5
  • Voice For Change (Gold Winner)
2022 Fajardo Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto [13] Top 5
2021 Loíza Michelle Marie Colón Ramírez [14] Top 10
2020 San Sebastián Estefanía Natalia Soto TorresTop 10Appointed [lower-alpha 1]
2019 Toa Baja Madison Sara Anderson Berríos 1st Runner-Up
2018 Rincón Kiara Liz Ortega Delgado Top 5
2017 San Juan Danyeshka Hernández Valentín Unplaced
2016Aguadilla Brenda Azaria Jiménez Hernández Unplaced
Isabela Kristhielee Yinaira Caride Santiago Dethroned
2015 Guaynabo Catalina Morales Gómez Unplaced
2014 Toa Baja Gabriela Berríos Pagán Unplaced
  • Miss Photogenic
2013 Arecibo Monic Marie Pérez Díaz Top 16
2012 Río Grande Bodine Koehler Peña Unplaced
2011 Corozal Viviana Ortiz Pastrana Top 16
2010 Río Grande Mariana Paola Vicente Morales Top 10
2009 Cabo Rojo Mayra Matos Pérez 4th Runner-Up

Miss Puerto Rico Universe

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.

YearMunicipalityTitleholderPlacement at Miss UniverseNotes
2008 Dorado Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos Unplaced
2007 Guayanilla Wilmadilis Blasini Pérez Unplaced
2006 Salinas Zuleyka Jerrís Rivera Mendoza Miss Universe 2006
2005 Salinas Cynthia Enid Olavarría Rivera 1st Runner-Up
2004 Cidra Alba Giselle Reyes Santos 2nd Runner-Up
  • Miss Photogenic
2003 Vieques Carla Tricoli Rodríguez Unplaced
  • Miss Photogenic
2002 Utuado Isis Marie Casalduc González Unplaced
  • Miss Photogenic
2001 Lares Denise Marie Quiñones August Miss Universe 2001
  • Miss Photogenic
2000 GuaynaboZoraida Isabel Fonalledas FerraiouliUnplaced
1999 Lares Brenda Liz López RamosTop 10
  • Miss Photogenic

Miss Puerto Rico

Miss Puerto Rico was held from 1952 until 1998 under the direction of Anna Santisteban.

YearCityTitleholderPlacement at Miss UniverseNotes
1998 Aguas Buenas Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica 2nd Runner-Up
1997 San Juan Ana Rosa Brito SuárezTop 10
1996 Toa Alta Sarybel Velilla CabezaUnplaced
1995 Corozal Desirée Lowry Rodríguez Top 6
1994 Isabela Brenda Esther Robles CortésUnplaced
1993 Toa Alta Dayanara Torres Delgado Miss Universe 1993
1992 Bayamón Daisy García RodríguezUnplaced
1991 Toa Alta Lizzette Marie Bouret EchevarríaUnplaced
1990 Guaynabo Maria Luisa Fortuño CosimiUnplaced
1989 Salinas Catalina María Villar RuizUnplaced
1988 Guaynabo Isabel Maria Pardo CubeñasUnplaced
1987 San Juan Laurie Tamara Simpson Rivera 4th Runner-Up
1986 San Germán Elizabeth Robison LatalladiTop 10
1985 San Juan Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu Miss Universe 1985
1984 Mayagüez Sandra Beauchamp RocheUnplaced
1983 Trujillo Alto Carmen Batíz VergaraUnplaced
1982 Juncos Lourdes Milagros Mantero HormazábalUnplaced
1981 Guaynabo Carmen Lotti RodríguezUnplaced
1980 Caguas Agnes Tañón CorreaTop 12
1979 Mayagüez Teresa "Tere" López HernándezUnplaced
1978 San Juan Ada Cecille Perkins Flores Unplaced
1977 Ponce Maria Del Mar Rivera VeglioUnplaced
1976 Salinas Elizabeth Zayas OrtizUnplaced
1975 San Germán Lorell Del Carmen Carmona JuanUnplaced
1974 San Juan Sonia María Stege ChardónTop 12
1973 Orocovis Gladys Vanessa Colón DíazUnplaced
1972 Santurce Bárbara Torres ViñoloUnplaced
1971 San JuanIdalia Margarita "Beba" Franco Cantino3rd Runner-Up
1970 Santurce Marisol Malaret Contreras Miss Universe 1970
1969 Río Piedras Aida BetancourtUnplaced
1968 Santurce Marylene CarrasquilloUnplaced
1967 Fajardo Ivonne Coll Mendoza Unplaced
1966 Santurce Carol BajandasUnplaced
1965 Caguas Gloria Cobián DíazUnplaced
1964 San JuanYolanda Rodríguez MachínUnplaced
1963 PonceJeanette BiascoecheaUnplaced
1962 San JuanAna Celia SosaUnplaced
1961 San JuanEnid Del ValleUnplaced
1957 PonceMapita Mercado CorderoUnplaced
  • Miss Congeniality
1956 San Lorenzo Paquita VivoUnplaced
1955 Trujillo Alto Carmen Laura BetancourtUnplaced
1954 San JuanLucy SantiagoUnplaced
1953 San JuanWanda IrizarryUnplaced
1952 Lares Marilia Levy BernalUnplaced

Statistic rankings

For Puerto Rico’s international rankings

Placements at Miss Universe

PlacementTitleYear
Miss Universe 5 1970, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2006
Top 5/6111971, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
Top 10/1281974, 1980, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2020, 2021
Top 16/2022011, 2013

Municipalities with most titleholders

CityTitleYear
San Juan 121953, 1954, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2017
Guaynabo 51981, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2015
Salinas 41976, 1989, 2005, 2006
Santurce 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972
Lares 31952, 1999, 2001
Toa Alta 1991, 1993, 1996
Ponce 1957, 1963, 1977
Orocovis 21973, 2024
Fajardo 1967, 2022
Toa Baja 2014, 2019
Isabela 1994, 2016*
Río Grande 2010, 2012
Corozal 1995, 2011
San Germán 1975, 1986
Mayagüez 1979, 1984
Trujillo Alto 1955, 1983
Caguas 1965, 1980
Patillas 12023
Loíza 2021
San Sebastián 2020
Rincón 2018
Aguadilla 2016*
Arecibo 2013
Cabo Rojo 2009
Dorado 2008
Guayanilla 2007
Cidra 2004
Vieques 2003
Utuado 2002
Aguas Buenas 1998
Bayamón 1992
Juncos 1982
Río Piedras 1969
San Lorenzo 1956

See also

Notes

  1. Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the First Runner-up of 2019 crowned as the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2020

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References

  1. Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2007 Podcast
  2. "Río Grande se lleva la corona - El Nuevo Día". www.elnuevodia.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-12.
  3. "Miss Universo le quita franquicia de Miss Universe P. R. A Desireé Lowry".
  4. "Denise Quiñones será directora de franquicia MUPR".
  5. "Miss Puerto Rico defiende sus raíces tras polémica". 9 November 2011.
  6. "La nueva Miss Universe Puerto Rico enfrenta críticas por su nacionalidad".
  7. Jun, Kwanwoo (2003-12-03). "Lost in Storm's Debris: A Beauty Pageant". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  8. Kenya, News (2011-07-15). "Beauty with scandals". Standard Digital News . Retrieved 2016-09-11.{{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. Vietnam, News (2008-10-08). "Những scandal của Miss World". Vietnam Express. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2016-09-11.{{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  10. Ibrahim, Lynda (2013-09-13). "The misses and missuses of the world". The Jakarta Post . Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  11. Lowe, Aya (2016-01-25). "Philippines' Miss Universe returns home, ignites dreams". Channel NewsAsia . Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  12. "Miss Patillas, Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo, se corona como Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  13. "Miss Fajardo, Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto, se corona como Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  14. "Así brilló Miss Loíza, Michelle Colón, en Miss Universe Puerto Rico". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.