# Miss Universe Puerto Rico

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. Yizette Cifredo is the current Director of Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
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. 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.
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.
On February 15, 2018, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2001 and Miss Universe 2001 winner Denise Quiñones was named as the pageant's national director. Quiñones stepped down from her directorship in 2021 and Yizette Cifredo became the director starting in 2022.

## 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." 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.

## Titleholders

Representatives of Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe pageant.

### 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

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 | Municipality | Titleholder | Placement at Miss Universe | Notes |
| 2024 | Orocovis | Jennifer Colón Alvarado | Top 12 | |
| 2023 | Patillas | Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo | Top 5 | Voice For Change (Gold Winner) |
| 2022 | Fajardo | Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto | Top 5 | |
| 2021 | Loíza | Michelle Marie Colón Ramírez | Top 10 | |
| 2020 | San Sebastián | Estefanía Natalia Soto Torres | Top 10 | Appointed |
| 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 | |
| 2016 | Isabela | Kristhielee Yinaira Caride Santiago | Dethroned | 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.
| Year | Municipality | Titleholder | Placement at Miss Universe | Notes |
| 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

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 | 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 | |
| 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

For Puerto Rico’s international rankings

### Placements at Miss Universe

| Placement | Title | Year |
| Miss Universe | 5 | 1970, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2006 |
| Top 5/6 | 11 | 1971, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 |
| Top 10/12 | 9 | 1974, 1980, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
| Top 16/20 | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| Total | 27 | |

### Municipalities with most titleholders

| 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 | 4 | 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972 |
| Lares | 3 | 1952, 1999, 2001 |
| Toa Alta | 3 | 1991, 1993, 1996 |
| Ponce | 3 | 1957, 1963, 1977 |
| Orocovis | 2 | 1973, 2024 |
| Fajardo | 2 | 1967, 2022 |
| Toa Baja | 2 | 2014, 2019 |
| Isabela | 2 | 1994, 2016* |
| Río Grande | 2 | 2010, 2012 |
| Corozal | 2 | 1995, 2011 |
| San Germán | 2 | 1975, 1986 |
| Mayagüez | 2 | 1979, 1984 |
| Trujillo Alto | 2 | 1955, 1983 |
| Caguas | 2 | 1965, 1980 |
| Patillas | 1 | 2023 |
| Loíza | 1 | 2021 |
| San Sebastián | 1 | 2020 |
| Rincón | 1 | 2018 |
| Aguadilla | 1 | 2016* |
| Arecibo | 1 | 2013 |
| Cabo Rojo | 1 | 2009 |
| Dorado | 1 | 2008 |
| Guayanilla | 1 | 2007 |
| Cidra | 1 | 2004 |
| Vieques | 1 | 2003 |
| Utuado | 1 | 2002 |
| Aguas Buenas | 1 | 1998 |
| Bayamón | 1 | 1992 |
| Juncos | 1 | 1982 |
| Río Piedras | 1 | 1969 |
| San Lorenzo | 1 | 1956 |

## Gallery of winners

* 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