Miss Universe Puerto Rico

The Miss Universe Puerto Rico is a national beauty pageant in Puerto Rico, held annually since 1952. Currently, the pageant is responsible for selecting the country’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.

Not to be confused with Miss Puerto Rico.

Miss Universe Puerto Rico Organization
Formation1952 (1952)
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersSan Juan
Location
Membership
Miss Universe
Official language
Spanish
Key people
Yizette Cifredo
(National Director)
Websitemuniversepr.com

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
  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner

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.

Year City Titleholder Placement at Miss Universe Notes
2023 Patillas Patillas Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo[12] TBA
2022 Fajardo, Puerto Rico Fajardo Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto[13] Top 5
2021 Loíza, Puerto Rico Loíza Michelle Marie Colón Ramírez[14] Top 10
2020 San Sebastián San Sebastián Estefanía Natalia Soto Torres Top 10 Appointed[lower-alpha 1]
2019 Toa Baja Toa Baja Madison Sara Anderson Berríos 1st Runner-Up
2018 Rincón Rincón Kiara Liz Ortega Delgado Top 5
2017 San Juan Danyeshka Hernández Valentín Unplaced
2016 Aguadilla Aguadilla Brenda Azaria Jiménez Hernández Unplaced
Isabela Isabela Kristhielee Yinaira Caride Santiago Dethroned
2015 Guaynabo Guaynabo Catalina Morales Gómez Unplaced
2014 Toa Baja Toa Baja Gabriela Berríos Pagán Unplaced Miss Photogenic
2013 Arecibo Arecibo Monic Marie Pérez Díaz Top 16
2012 Río Grande Río Grande Bodine Koehler Peña Unplaced
2011 Corozal Corozal Viviana Ortiz Pastrana Top 16
2010 Río Grande Río Grande Mariana Paola Vicente Morales Top 10
2009 Cabo Rojo 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.

Year City Titleholder Placement at Miss Universe Notes
2008 Dorado Dorado Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos Unplaced
2007 Guayanilla Guayanilla Wilmadilis "Uma" Blasini Pérez Unplaced
2006 Salinas Salinas Zuleyka Jerrís Rivera Mendoza Miss Universe 2006
2005 Salinas Salinas Cynthia Enid Olavarría Rivera 1st Runner-Up
2004 Cidra Cidra Alba Giselle Reyes Santos 2nd Runner-Up Miss Photogenic
2003 Vieques Vieques Carla Tricoli Rodríguez Unplaced Miss Photogenic
2002 Utuado Utuado Isis Marie Casalduc González Unplaced Miss Photogenic
2001 Lares Lares Denise Marie Quiñones August Miss Universe 2001 Miss Photogenic
2000 Guaynabo Guaynabo Zoraida Isabel "Zoribel" Fonalledas Ferraiouli Unplaced
1999 Lares Lares Brenda Liz López Ramos Top 10 Miss Photogenic

Miss Puerto Rico

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

Year City Titleholder Placement at Miss Universe Notes
1998 Aguas Buenas Aguas Buenas Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica 2nd Runner-Up
1997 San Juan Ana Rosa Brito Suárez Top 10
1996 Toa Alta Toa Alta Sarybel Velilla Cabeza Unplaced
1995 Corozal Corozal Desirée Lowry Rodríguez Top 6
1994 Isabela Isabela Brenda Esther Robles Cortés Unplaced
1993 Toa Alta Toa Alta Dayanara Torres Delgado Miss Universe 1993
1992 Bayamón Bayamón Daisy García Rodríguez Unplaced
1991 Toa Alta Toa Alta Lizzette Marie Bouret Echevarría Unplaced
1990 Guaynabo Guaynabo Maria Luisa Fortuño Cosimi Unplaced
1989 Salinas Salinas Catalina María Villar Ruiz Unplaced
1988 Guaynabo Guaynabo Isabel Maria Pardo Cubeñas Unplaced
1987 San Juan Laurie Tamara Simpson Rivera 4th Runner-Up
1986 San Germán San Germán Elizabeth Robison Latalladi Top 10
1985 San Juan Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu Miss Universe 1985
1984 Mayagüez Mayagüez Sandra Beauchamp Roche Unplaced
1983 Trujillo Alto Trujillo Alto Carmen Batíz Vergara Unplaced
1982 Juncos Juncos Lourdes Milagros Mantero Hormazábal Unplaced
1981 Guaynabo Guaynabo Carmen Lotti Rodríguez Unplaced
1980 Caguas Caguas Agnes Tañón Correa Top 12
1979 Mayagüez Mayagüez Teresa "Tere" López Hernández Unplaced
1978 San Juan Ada Cecille Perkins Flores Unplaced
1977 Ponce Maria Del Mar Rivera Veglio Unplaced
1976 Salinas Salinas Elizabeth Zayas Ortiz Unplaced
1975 San Germán San Germán Lorell Del Carmen Carmona Juan Unplaced
1974 San Juan Sonia María Stege Chardón Top 12
1973 Orocovis Orocovis Gladys Vanessa Colón Díaz Unplaced
1972 San Juan Santurce Bárbara Torres Viñolo Unplaced
1971 San Juan Idalia Margarita "Beba" Franco 3rd Runner-Up
1970 San Juan Santurce Marisol Malaret Contreras Miss Universe 1970
1969 Río Piedras Río Piedras Aida Betancourt Unplaced
1968 San Juan Santurce Marylene Carrasquillo Unplaced
1967 Fajardo Fajardo Ivonne Coll Mendoza Unplaced
1966 San Juan Santurce Carol Bajandas Unplaced
1965 Caguas Caguas Gloria Cobián Díaz Unplaced
1964 San Juan Yolanda Rodríguez Machín Unplaced
1963 Ponce Jeanette Biascoechea Unplaced
1962 San Juan Ana Celia Sosa Unplaced
1961 San Juan Enid Del Valle Unplaced
1957 Ponce Mapita Mercado Cordero Unplaced Miss Congeniality
1956 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo Paquita Vivo Unplaced
1955 Trujillo Alto Trujillo Alto Carmen Laura Betancourt Unplaced
1954 San Juan Lucy Santiago Unplaced
1953 San Juan Wanda Irizarry Unplaced
1952 Lares Lares Marilia Levy Bernal Unplaced

Statistic rankings

Placements at Miss Universe
PlacementTitleYear
Miss Universe 5 1970, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2006
Top 5/6 10 1971, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022
Top 10/12 8 1974, 1980, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2020, 2021
Top 16/20 2 2011, 2013

Cities with most titleholders
CityTitleYear
San Juan 12 1953, 1954, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2017
Guaynabo Guaynabo 5 1981, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2015
Salinas Salinas 4 1976, 1989, 2005, 2006
San Juan Santurce 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972
Lares Lares 3 1952, 1999, 2001
Toa Alta Toa Alta 1991, 1993, 1996
Ponce 1957, 1963, 1977
Fajardo Fajardo 2 1967, 2022
Toa Baja Toa Baja 2014, 2019
Isabela Isabela 1994, 2016*
Río Grande Río Grande 2010, 2012
Corozal Corozal 1995, 2011
San Germán San Germán 1975, 1986
Mayagüez Mayagüez 1979, 1984
Trujillo Alto Trujillo Alto 1955, 1983
Caguas Caguas 1965, 1980
Patillas Patillas 1 2023
San Sebastián Loíza 2021
San Sebastián San Sebastián 2020
Rincón Rincón 2018
Aguadilla Aguadilla 2016*
Arecibo Arecibo 2013
Cabo Rojo Cabo Rojo 2009
Dorado Dorado 2008
Guayanilla Guayanilla 2007
Cidra Cidra 2004
Vieques Vieques 2003
Utuado Utuado 2002
Aguas Buenas Aguas Buenas 1998
Bayamón Bayamón 1992
Juncos Juncos 1982
Orocovis Orocovis 1973
Río Piedras Río Piedras 1969
San Lorenzo 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

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.
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