Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico City

MISS UNIVERSE 2007 IN MEXICO CITY
By Alejandro Guevara Onofre

Miss Universe’s my favorite Telecast. It’s really exciting. I always want my favorite "Miss" to win. When they win, I am really happy. But when my favorite lose…Every year, I have a favorite delegate. Last year was Miss Japan, Kurara Chibana. From my point of view, I think that Miss Japan 2006 is a perfect beauty… In 1978 was my countrywoman: In my opinion, I think that Miss Peru, Olga Roxana Zumaran Burga, has one of the best bodies in the Miss Universe History...she was a big favorite in Acapulco, Mexico... I think that Olga was eliminated this contest because she did not speak English...In this year I was a children...I was a fan of Miss Peru…

In 1985, my favorite was Miss Zaire, currently the Democratic Republic of Congo.... Miss Zaire ,Kayonga "Benita" Mureka Tete...Miss Africa and great favorite in Miss World 1985... ...her exotic beauty was very special. Some people think that I am passionate about Miss Universe…It’s true...My mother is guilty of that. She has a great admiration for Gladys Zender, Miss Universe 1957.

I remember that my country was elected host the Miss Universe on January 1982. For me, was a surprised to read in the newspapers that Lima, Peru’s capital, hosted the Miss Universe. I felt very happy...My country made a great contest...were times against the terrorism by Shining Path… One of my favorites was Miss Brazil.. spectacular Cecyle Pinto Marques da Sylva (1,80m-18 years old and brown eyes) was born in Belem do Para, Amazonas (Amazonian jungle. She studied medicine. Glamorous Miss Amazonas said that her idol is the Supreme Pontieff John Paul II.

The Miss Universe Pageant originated in the 1950s in Long Beach, California. Certainly, Miss Universe has been compared to Olympic Games. I think that Miss Universe begin in Ancient Greece…More than 1,000 years… I remember that sports and beauty were important for the Ancient Greeks. Certainly, Cyprus Island was the sanctuary of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Beauty and Love

For the fourth time, Mexico will host the 56th the Miss Universe Pageant. The final will be at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, on May 28th.Mexico is one of the most wonderful places on Earth…There are very nice beaches: Cancun, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, Puerto Escondido, and Acapulco. For example, Cozumel Island is a tropical paradise…The Mexican Jungle is the real fascination…paradisiac landscapes. Furthermore, Mexico has one of the oldest histories in the world. Like Peru, France and Thailand, Mexico is the home of International gastronomy…Mexico is very famous for its food…tacos, empanadas, moles, and enchiladas…Finally, the people are very warm and friendly. From my perspective, I think that Mexico is the perfect place for Miss Universe…Welcome to MEXICO!

FROM 1952 TO 2007:
1952: Long Beach, California. Miss Finland was the first Miss Universe…

1955: Long Beach, California. Miss Sweden was crowned Miss Universe. Miss El Salvador, Maribel Arrietta, was the big favorite. Miss El Salvador was compared to Marilyn Monroe by American journalists.

1957: Long Beach (California). Miss Peru, Gladys Zender Urbina was elected Miss Universe. She is the first Latin woman to win the Miss Universe.

1959: Long Beach, California. Miss Italy, Maria Grazia Buccella, was the big favourite, but she did not make the semifinals. Next day, Italian newspapers criticized Akiko Kojima...New Miss Universe from Japan....

1961: Long Beach, California. Marlene Schmidt became the first German woman to win the Miss Universe title.

1962: Miss Haiti, Evelyn Miot, was the first black woman to be a semifinalist at Miss Universe…

1964: Long Beach, California. Corina Tsopie was the first person from Greece to win the Pageant.

1968: Miami Beach, Florida.Martha Vasconcelos became the second Brazilian to win the Miss Universe title.

1969: Miami Beach, Florida. Miss Philippines, Gloria Diaz, became the third Miss universe from the Asia.

1975: San Salvador (El Salvador).The winner was Anne Pohtamo, Miss Finland. She looks like Grace Kelly, who was an American actress and Princess of Monaco (a small country in Europe).During her reign, she went to the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic and other countries in the Third World...She was crowned in El Salvador, the birthplace of Maribel Arrieta, one of the most beautiful delegates in the chronology of MU.... Jackeline Gammarra, Miss Bolivia, was big favorite in San Salvador. Ironically, she had been eliminated in the semifinals of Miss Universe. She is one of the best South American delegates in the history of Miss Universe...

1978: Acapulco, Mexico. Miss South Africa won the title. The favorites were : 1-El Salvador, 2-Peru, 3-USA, 4-SAfrica, 5-Israel, 6-Sweden, 7-Wales, 8-Costa Rica. Miss Costa Rica, Maribel Fernandez (actress in the 1980s and 1990s), was eliminated. The great surprise was Miss Chile… very intelligent (she spoke English, French and German)… Miss Peru, Olga Roxana Zumaran Burga, has been the only Peruvian favorite in the Miss Universe History...but she did not speak English as Miss Colombia and Miss Spain. Another eliminated was Miss El Salvador, Iris Yvette Mazorra, one of the best Latin American delegates in MU.

1979: Perth (Australia). Miss Brazil was a big favorite until last minute, but she had poor speech in the finals. Miss Venezuela, Maritza Sayalero won the title.

1981: New York City. Under the leadership of Osmel Sousa, President of Miss Venezuela Organization, Venezuela’s Irene Saez was crowned Miss Universe. The final ranking:1-Venezuela, 2-Canada, 3-Sweden, 4-Brazil, 5-Belgium. After the Miss Universe, Miss Brazil, Adriana Alves de Oliveira had worked as professional model in Paris...In 1984 she was London, the United Kingdom, where she was the first favorite by international journalism and houses of best. With at 1.81m, she had a perfect body and European profile...But she only came between 7 semifinalists. She is the best delegate from Brazil since Magdalena Sbairini, other big favorite in Miss World 1977...

1982: Lima ,Peru. The favorites were: 1-Miss Chile, 2-Miss South Africa, 3-Miss Brazil, 4-Miss Finland 5-Miss Canada 6-Miss Austria 7-Greece 8-Miss Wales 9-Miss Italy 10-Miss Australia...Weren’t favorites: Guam, USA, Uruguay, Germany, Peru, Venezuela, England and Miss Sweden. Miss South Africa, Odett Octavia Scrooby, (18 years old, 173m, blue eyes and 54 k) was born in Skeerpoort. She had been a professional model in Johannesburg, a city in SA. Her hobbies are drawing and painting. Her dream was to become an international supermodel. She did not win because her country was the birthplace of Apartheid…However, Miss Canada won the title. Karen Baldwin was a student at university in Canada.Her dream was to become a businesswoman. Her hobbies were water sports and playing tennis, squash and racquetball. Like Gladys Zender, one of the judges, Karen was a sportswoman. "My idol is the Mother Theresa of Calcutta", said in an interview with Mario Vargas Llosa (judge).In the International judge, Karen had had the support of Rod Duguay, her countrymen and a famous hockey player...

1984: Miami, Florida. Miss South Africa, Leticia Snyman, was a big favorite, but she did not win Miss Universe. After 1984,Miss Universe company did not accept South Africa contestants until 1995,when Namibia was host the Miss Universe.

1985: Miami, Florida. The final ranking: 1-PR,2-Spain,3-Zaire,4-Venezuela,5-Uruguay. Miss Zaire, Benita Mureka, was the first black African finalist in Miss Universe. Miss Zaire has her own style, very beautiful. Miss Puerto Rico, a girl very common, was elected Miss Universe…very strange result.

1986: Panama City. Miss Venezuela, Barbara Palacios Teyde. Venezuela has had many judges in the Miss Universe since 1984: Certainly, Carolina Herrera (1984 and 1997), Irene Saez (1983 and 1995), Maria Consuelo Alonso (1993 and 1998), Lupita Ferrer (1986), Barbara Palacios Teyde (1988) and Jose Luis Rodriguez (1991. Different from Venezuela, Jamaica has not had an judge in MU history...as Bolivia, Paraguay, Portugal, Austria, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Namibia, Curacao, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland...

1987: Singapore City. Miss Chile, Cecilia Bolocco was crowned Miss Universe Pageant. She had a sensational interview with judges. Miss Colombia, Patricia Lopez, did not qualify for the semifinals. After of won Miss South America-Universe and Miss Photogenic, Patricia Lopez became the big favorite to win the Miss Universe, but she did not speak English very well. Good bye Colombia…

1989: Cancun, Mexico. Andrea Stelzer was Miss South Africa 1985 but when she arrived at Miami Airport Immigration did not accept her entrance to Miami. Reasons: Radical protests by American Anti-Apartheid activists. After...like many South African, she became German citizen. In 1989 she won the Miss Germany title. She went to Cancun and was semifinalist at the Miss Universe...

1990: Venezuela was the dominant force in Miss Universe Pageant in the 1990s.

1993: Mexico City. Maria Consuelo Alonso, international judge, did not support Miss Venezuela, Milka Chulina, at the Miss Universe. In Caracas, there was many critics towards Maria Consuelo…She was born in Cuba.

1994: Manila, Philippines. The ranking final: 1-Miss India, 2-Miss Colombia, 3-Miss Venezuela. Many people think that Colombia never winner Miss Universe… because the narcotrafic. Colombia have had spectacular girls like Aura Maria Mojica and Paloma Turbay Ayala...

1996: Las Vegas, Nevada. Miss Venezuela, Alicia Machado, won the Miss Universe Pageant. She is always controversial and charismatic…

1999: Trinidad Tobago. Miss Botswana, Mpule Kwelagobe, became Miss Universe. Since 1999, she is an Anti-AIDS activist in the Third World.

2000: Nicosia, Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite…Miss India, Lara Dutta was crowned Miss Universe. Miss France, Sonia Rolland, who speaks French, English and Spanish, was another bi-racial beauty. She has a Rwandan mother and a French father. Sonia was a child who lived at the time of the Rwandan War.

2006: Los Angeles, California. Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera, was crowned Miss Universe Pageant… Did you know that... Puerto Rico has had several judges in the Miss Universe History: Mapy Cortes (actress/1972), Marisol Malaret (former MU: 1977 and 2002),Deborah Carthy-Deu (ex-MU: 1987 and 2003), Dayanara Torres (2001),Marc Anthony (2001)and Maria Celeste Arraras (journalist/2003 and 2006)...but Chile only has had two judges: Cecilia Bolocco (1996) and Christian de la Fuente (20001)….

2007: Welcome to Mexico…Miss Universe 2007