.jpg){kind=logo} Logo of Miss Universe Puerto Rico, 2025 | |
| Formation | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters | San Juan |
| Location | |
| Membership | Miss Universe |
Official language | Spanish |
Key people | Yizette Cifredo (National Director) |
| Website | muniversepr |
Miss Universe Puerto Rico is a national beauty pageant in Puerto Rico. Held annually since 1952, the pageant is responsible for selecting the delegate representing the archipelago and island in Miss Universe.
Since 2018, the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization is owned by Hemisphere Media Group, and the annual competition is broadcast on its subsidiaries WAPA TV and WAPA América. Yizette Cifredo, a television presenter, motivational speaker, writer, and former beauty queen, is the current director of the pageant.
Traditionally, the organization begins castings of the contestants in January. Representing a municipality, the delegates go through months of training and workshops. The preliminary and final night of the pageant are held in August. The winner of the title of Miss Puerto Rico Universe goes to compete in Miss Universe, traditionally held in November.
History
[edit]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] Quiñones stepped down from her directorship in 2021 and Yizette Cifredo became the director starting in 2022.
Controversy
[edit]Nationality of contestants
[edit]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]
Host
[edit]Puerto Rico has held the following Miss Universe editions:
| Year | Pageant | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Miss Universe | Dorado, Puerto Rico | Cerromar Beach Hotel |
| 2001 | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez | |
| 2002 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Roberto Clemente Coliseum |
In 1972, Puerto Rico became the first area outside the contiguous United States and first country or territory in the Caribbean and Latin America to host Miss Universe. In 2001, Puerto Rico became the first participating country of territory—and only one as of 2024—to win the international title of Miss Universe as a host.
Titleholders
[edit]This list includes the names, municipalities, and international placements of the annual titleholders of Miss Universe Puerto Rico in ascending order. The titleholders are divided by the local franchise under which they represented Puerto Rico.
- Color key
- : Declared as Winner
- : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
- : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
Miss Universe Puerto Rico
(2010–present)
[edit]In 2010, Luisito Vigoreaux and Desireé Lowry, Miss Universe Puerto Rico 1995, organized 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 its subsidiaries WAPA TV and WAPA América. Denise Quiñones, Miss Universe 2001, served as national director from 2018 to 2022, when motivational speaker, TV host, writer, and former beauty queen Yizette Cifredo took over the role.
| Year | Municipality | Miss Universe Puerto Rico | Performance in Miss Universe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placement | Special award(s) | |||
| 2025 | Dorado | Zashely Nicole Alicea Rivera[7] | TBA | |
| 2024 | Orocovis | Jennifer Colón Alvarado | Top 12 | |
| 2023 | Patillas | Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo[8] | Top 5 | Voice For Change (Gold Winner) |
| 2022 | Fajardo | Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto[9] | Top 5 | |
| 2021 | Loíza | Michelle Marie Colón Ramírez[10] | Top 10 | |
| 2020 | San Sebastián | Estefanía Natalia Soto Torres[a] | Top 10 | |
| 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 | |
| 2016 | Aguadilla | 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 | |
Miss Puerto Rico Universe
(1999–2009)
[edit]From 1999 to 2002 TeleOnce (now Univision Puerto Rico) obtained the franchise and renamed it "Miss Puerto Rico Universe". Magali Febles, a beautician working with the Miss Universe representatives of Puerto Rico since the early 1990s, organized the pageant under the same pageant title between 2003 and 2009.
| Year | Municipality | Miss Universe Puerto Rico | Performance in Miss Universe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placement | Special award(s) | |||
| 2009 | Cabo Rojo | Mayra Matos Pérez | 4th Runner-Up | |
| 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 | Guaynabo | Zoraida Isabel Fonalledas Ferraiouli | Unplaced | |
| 1999 | Lares | Brenda Liz López Ramos | Top 10 | Miss Photogenic |
Miss Puerto Rico (1952–1998)
[edit]Miss Puerto Rico was held from 1952 to 1998 under the direction of Anna Santisteban, a businesswoman in the modeling and beauty industry.
| Year | Municipality | Miss Universe Puerto Rico | Performance in Miss Universe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placement | Special award(s) | |||
| 1998 | Aguas Buenas | Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica | 2nd Runner-Up | |
| 1997 | San Juan | Ana Rosa Brito Suárez | Top 10 | |
| 1996 | Toa Alta | Sarybel Velilla Cabeza | Unplaced | |
| 1995 | Corozal | Desirée Lowry Rodríguez | Top 6 | |
| 1994 | Isabela | Brenda Esther Robles Cortés | Unplaced | |
| 1993 | Toa Alta | Dayanara Torres Delgado | Miss Universe 1993 | |
| 1992 | Bayamón | Daisy García Rodríguez | Unplaced | |
| 1991 | Toa Alta | Lizzette Marie Bouret Echevarría | Unplaced | |
| 1990 | Guaynabo | Maria Luisa Fortuño Cosimi | Unplaced | |
| 1989 | Salinas | Catalina María Villar Ruiz | Unplaced | |
| 1988 | Guaynabo | Isabel Maria Pardo Cubeñas | Unplaced | |
| 1987 | San Juan | Laurie Tamara Simpson Rivera | 4th Runner-Up | |
| 1986 | San Germán | Elizabeth Robison Latalladi | Top 10 | |
| 1985 | San Juan | Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu | Miss Universe 1985 | |
| 1984 | Mayagüez | Sandra Beauchamp Roche | Unplaced | |
| 1983 | Trujillo Alto | Carmen Batíz Vergara | Unplaced | |
| 1982 | Juncos | Lourdes Milagros Mantero Hormazábal | Unplaced | |
| 1981 | Guaynabo | Carmen Lotti Rodríguez | Unplaced | |
| 1980 | Caguas | Agnes Tañón Correa | Top 12 | |
| 1979 | Mayagüez | Teresa "Tere" López Hernández | Unplaced | |
| 1978 | San Juan | Ada Cecille Perkins Flores | Unplaced | |
| 1977 | Ponce | Maria Del Mar Rivera Veglio | Unplaced | |
| 1976 | Salinas | Elizabeth Zayas Ortiz | Unplaced | |
| 1975 | San Germán | Lorell Del Carmen Carmona Juan | Unplaced | |
| 1974 | San Juan | Sonia María Stege Chardón | Top 12 | |
| 1973 | Orocovis | Gladys Vanessa Colón Díaz | Unplaced | |
| 1972 | Santurce | Bárbara Torres Viñolo | Unplaced | |
| 1971 | San Juan | Idalia Margarita "Beba" Franco Cantino | 3rd Runner-Up | |
| 1970 | Santurce | Marisol Malaret Contreras | Miss Universe 1970 | |
| 1969 | Río Piedras | Aida Betancourt | Unplaced | |
| 1968 | Santurce | Marylene Carrasquillo | Unplaced | |
| 1967 | Fajardo | Ivonne Coll Mendoza | Unplaced | |
| 1966 | Santurce | Carol Bajandas | Unplaced | |
| 1965 | 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 | |
| 1960 | Absent | |||
| 1959 | ||||
| 1958 | ||||
| 1957 | Ponce | Mapita Mercado Cordero | Unplaced | Miss Congeniality |
| 1956 | San Lorenzo | Paquita Vivo | Unplaced | |
| 1955 | Trujillo Alto | Carmen Laura Betancourt | Unplaced | |
| 1954 | San Juan | Lucy Santiago | Unplaced | |
| 1953 | San Juan | Wanda Irizarry | Unplaced | |
| 1952 | Lares | Marilia Levy Bernal | Unplaced | |
Statistic rankings
[edit]For Puerto Rico’s international rankings
Placements
[edit]This list includes the placements, unplacements, and absences of Miss Universe Puerto Rico in the international competition.
| Placement | Total | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Miss Universe | 5 | 1970, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2006 |
| 1st Runner-up | 2 | 2005, 2019, |
| 2nd Runner-up | 2 | 1998, 2004 |
| 3rd Runner-up | 1 | 1971 |
| 4th Runner-up | 2 | 1987, 2009 |
| Top 5/6 | 4 | 1995, 2018, 2022, 2023 |
| Top 10/12 | 9 | 1974, 1980, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
| Top 16/20 | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| Total | 27 | |
| Unplaced | 43 | 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| Absent | 3 | 1958, 1959, 1960 |
| Total | 73 | |
Placement streaks
[edit]This list includes the placement streaks of Miss Universe Puerto Rico in the international competition lasting at least three years.
| Duration | Total | Placements |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–ongoing | 7 | 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| 2009–2011 | 3 | 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| 2003–2006 | 2004, 2005, 2006 | |
| 1997–1999 | 1997, 1998, 1999 | |
| 1985–1987 | 1985, 1986, 1987 |
Titleholders by municipality
[edit]This list includes the titleholders of Miss Universe Puerto Rico by the municipality they represented in their national competition.
| City | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan | 12 | 1953, 1954, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2017 |
| Guaynabo | 5 | 1981, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2015 |
| Salinas | 4 | 1976, 1989, 2005, 2006 |
| Santurce | 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972 | |
| Lares | 3 | 1952, 1999, 2001 |
| Toa Alta | 1991, 1993, 1996 | |
| Ponce | 1957, 1963, 1977 | |
| Dorado | 2 | 2008, 2025 |
| Orocovis | 1973, 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 | 1 | 2023 |
| Loíza | 2021 | |
| San Sebastián | 2020 | |
| Rincón | 2018 | |
| Aguadilla | 2016* | |
| Arecibo | 2013 | |
| Cabo Rojo | 2009 | |
| Guayanilla | 2007 | |
| Cidra | 2004 | |
| Vieques | 2003 | |
| Utuado | 2002 | |
| Aguas Buenas | 1998 | |
| Bayamón | 1992 | |
| Juncos | 1982 | |
| Río Piedras | 1969 | |
| San Lorenzo | 1956 |
Gallery of winners
[edit]-
Ivonne Coll, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 1967 -
Dayanara Torres, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 1993 and Miss Universe 1993 -
Joyce Giraud, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 1998 -
Denise Quiñones, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2001 and Miss Universe 2001 -
Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico 2006 and Miss Universe 2006 -
Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico 2008
See also
[edit]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the First Runner-up of 2019 was appointed as Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2020
References
[edit]- ^ Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2007 Podcast
- ^ "Río Grande se lleva la corona - El Nuevo Día". www.elnuevodia.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-12.
- ^ "Miss Universo le quita franquicia de Miss Universe P. R. A Desireé Lowry".
- ^ "Denise Quiñones será directora de franquicia MUPR".
- ^ "Miss Puerto Rico defiende sus raíces tras polémica". 9 November 2011.
- ^ "La nueva Miss Universe Puerto Rico enfrenta críticas por su nacionalidad".
- ^ "De Dorado la nueva Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2025". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
- ^ "Miss Patillas, Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo, se corona como Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Así brilló Miss Loíza, Michelle Colón, en Miss Universe Puerto Rico". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
External links
[edit]Beauty pageants in Puerto Rico | ||
|---|---|---|
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