Participation in international pageants , Venezuela has a total of 24 wins at
Big Four international beauty pageants, the most by any country in the world, and consisting of seven Miss Universe titles, six Miss World titles, nine Miss International titles, and two Miss Earth titles. Miss Venezuela reached the semifinals of Miss Universe each year from 1983 to 2003, and reached the question-and-answer round consistently from 1991 to 2003 (winning in
1986 and
1996), constituting the longest streak of Miss Universe finalists by any country. This streak was ended in 2004, when Ana Karina Áñez was not included in the semifinals at
Miss Universe 2004. Venezuela has also held Miss Universe and Miss World titles simultaneously in 1981 (
Irene Saez and
Pilin Leon), and Miss Universe and Miss Earth titles simultaneously in 2013 (
Gabriela Isler and
Alyz Henrich). Henrich's Miss Earth victory made Venezuela the only country in the world to have won each of the Big Four pageants multiple times. Venezuela also holds the distinction of being the first, and so far only, country to win back-to-back Miss Universe titles when
Dayana Mendoza, outgoing
Miss Universe 2008, crowned
Stefania Fernandez as
Miss Universe 2009.
Success in other fields ,
Miss Earth 2005 Competing in the pageant can get a contestant noticed and launched 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 and became the primary annual emcee of Miss Venezuela's live shows in recent decades), and
Dominika van Santen (
Top Model of the World 2005). 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 and Wendy Medina, have repeatedly been rejected by Miss Venezuela; on the other hand,
Goizeder Azua and Desiree Pallotta, 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, from Venezuela, include
Ruddy Rodríguez,
Catherine Fulop, Carolina Perpetuo,
Norkys Batista, Daniela Kosán,
Viviana Gibelli,
Marjorie de Sousa,
Chiquinquirá Delgado,
Alicia Machado and
Natalia Streignard. Two of the Latin world's best known people, supermodel
Patricia Velásquez and singer/actress
María Conchita Alonso, also participated, in 1989 and 1975, respectively. Miss Universe 1981,
Irene Sáez, became mayor of
Chacao (Caracas), governor of
Nueva Esparta State, and then a candidate in the
1998 Venezuelan presidential election.
The Times of London ranked her 13th in its list of the 100 most powerful women in the world.
Alexandra Braun,
Miss Earth 2005 became the most decorated international actress from Venezuela with the most acting awards when she won four international best actress awards in various film festivals all over the world for her portrayal of the lead role in the movie, "Uma" at the
London Film Festival,
Monaco International Film Festival, the
Milan International Film Festival and the Georgia Latino Film Festival in Atlanta; the film also won recognition in the "Film of the World" category at the
International Film Festival of India and won best foreign film at the
Burbank International Film Festival in the United States.
Miss Venezuela and other countries Some delegates in the pageant went on to win other national pageants. Natascha Börger became the first Venezuelan to switch countries, when she won the
Miss Germany title in 2002 after placing 14th at Miss Venezuela 2000. She went on to place in the Top 10 at
Miss Universe 2002 in Puerto Rico while
Cynthia Lander,
Miss Venezuela 2001, placed fifth in the same competition. Miss Trujillo 2005 Angelika Hernandez Dorendorf also placed fourth at Miss Germany 2007 and cancelled her participation at the Miss Intercontinental of that same year in order to continue her master's degree. In 2006,
Francys Sudnicka, who placed in the Top 10 representing Trujillo in Miss Venezuela 2003, won the Miss Poland Universe title. She represented Poland at
Miss Universe 2006, and later represented Poland in
Miss Earth 2006, taking a place in the Top 8. The following Venezuelans who have won the
Miss Italia nel Mondo (Miss World Italy) pageant 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). Patruno, though born Venezuelan, represented the United States. In the past, other countries have sent their titleholders to be trained by Osmel Sousa and the Miss Venezuela Organization. In 1999,
Miriam Quiambao of the Philippines trained in Venezuela before competing at
Miss Universe 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago and eventually placing second to Botswana, while
Carolina Indriago,
Miss Venezuela 1998, appeared in the Top 5. The Miss Venezuela Organization, however, ended its policy allowing training of foreign candidates after
Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic received training from them before eventually winning
Miss Universe 2003 in Panama, while
Mariangel Ruiz,
Miss Venezuela 2002, placed second behind her. In recent years the pageant organization has begun to "import" expatriates who have been working as international models. Miami has produced
Valentina Patruno (Miss World Venezuela 2003),
Andrea Gómez (Miss International Venezuela 2004),
Mónica Spear (
Miss Venezuela 2004 and 4th runner-up at
Miss Universe 2005), Ileana Jiménez (Miss Portuguesa 2005), and María Alessandra Villegas (Miss Península de Paraguaná 2008).
Order of succession winners, in the center
Dayana Mendoza,
Miss Universe 2008 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. 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. Using the most prominent format used in Miss Venezuela's entire run, 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 runners-up, then Miss Venezuela to Miss International, Miss Venezuela to Miss World, and Miss Venezuela to Miss Universe. Since 2010, yet another new system has been introduced, with the fifth-place finisher as the 1st. runner-up, fourth place being designated as a "representative" to Miss Earth, the third place as a "representative" to Miss International and two 'equal' crowned winners—Miss Venezuela World and Miss Venezuela 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->Universe->World in rising order of importance (although they are also emphasized as "equals"). In Venezuela, neither policy of succession is explicitly laid down.
Osmel Sousa made 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. Incidentally in 2006 the Miss World pageant shifted its pageant date from its usual November–December timeframe to September when the organization announced Poland as the competition venue. Due to the change in dates; it resulted to a timing conflict with the Miss Venezuela pageant. The Miss Venezuela organization decided to hold a snap pageant called "Miss Venezuela Mundo" to elect a representative for
Miss World 2006. The said competition was composed of former Miss Venezuela contestants from previous editions. At the end of the night
Federica Guzman who represented the state of Miranda in 2001 was the winner. Thus, all four winners, Miss Earth Venezuela, Miss Venezuela International, Miss Venezuela World and Miss Venezuela Universe now compete in the year after their 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
Christina 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, 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 or 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 semi-finalists and other non-finalists) from the previous five years. The winner,
Claudia Moreno, had placed as seventh in the semi-finals 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 US 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
Brook Mahealani Lee became Miss Universe and her first runner-up
Brandi Sherwood became Miss USA. 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. In general, all the times Venezuela has won the Miss Universe Pageant, it's Miss Universe herself who returns to crown the new Miss Venezuela, not Miss World Venezuela from the previous year or another finalist. Since 2013, the Miss World delegate is no longer crowned at the Miss Venezuela final but is crowned in a separate Miss Venezuela World pageant, and competes in the same year of her coronation. In 2014, Maira Alexandra Rodriguez was crowned as Miss Earth Venezuela to compete in the 2015 edition, but due to the destitution of her predecessor, Stephanie de Zorzi, she was sent to Miss Earth 2014, in which she ended as Miss Water (2nd runner-up). From 2015 onwards, Miss Earth Venezuela will compete in the same year of her coronation. In 2017, the announcing was made as it was years before: Top 5 consisting of 2nd and 1st runners-up, then Miss Venezuela International, Miss World Venezuela and Miss Venezuela Universe, all three competing in 2018. This avoids the rumors of major pageants not allowing contestants to participate if they weren't in their current reign year. However, in 2018, Osmel's resignation coincided with the same year Miss Venezuela sent their winner,
Isabella Rodríguez, to Miss World. As a result, since 2019, the organization switched to a separate Miss World Venezuela national pageant while retaining the Miss Universe and Miss International national titles under the main Miss Venezuela pageant for all succeeding candidates.
Controversies Objectification Esther Pineda, a Venezuelan women's studies expert, stated that the popularity of Miss Venezuela and other pageants in Venezuela reveals how the country is "deeply sexist". Despite controversies facing Miss Venezuela, the
Me Too movement has not carried any significance in Venezuela. According to Pineda, in Venezuela "[p]hysical beauty is seen as a value. ... And it's given more importance than any other attribute". == Recent titleholders ==