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Former Miss Universe Puerto Rico Madison Anderson Berrios was announced on Monday, April 24 the winner of the third season of "La Casa de los Famosos" (The House of Celebrities). The beauty queen turned celebrity placed first runner-up to South Africa's Zozibini Tunzi when she represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to Miss Universe, she was also third runner-up at Miss Grand International 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Madison will now take home a whopping $200,000 in prize money for winning the American Spanish-language version of the reality television franchise Celebrity Big Brother. Mexican actress Patricia Navidad placed second while Mexican actor and model Pepe Gámez placed third. Rounding out the Top 5 finalists were Dominican singer-songwriter La Materialista (Yameyry Ynfante) and Colombian influencer José Rodríguez. The reality show premiered on Telemundo in August 2021. Previous winners were former Miss Universe from Venezuela, Alic

Miss Universe 1970 Marisol Malaret Contreras from Puerto Rico passed away at the age of 73 on Sunday. The former beauty queen turned television personality became the first Puerto Rican and Caribbean woman to win the Miss Universe pageant on July 11, 1970, at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida. She was only 20 years old, an executive secretary in the Puerto Rico Telephone Company, when she was crowned by her predecessor Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe 1969 from the Philippines. Following her historic victory, she was honored with what was considered until then one of the biggest welcomings ever at San Juan. It was reported that around 50,000 people turned out to her homecoming. Marisol appeared on the covers of countless international and Puerto Rican magazines and took part in numerous advertising campaigns. The auburn-haired, blue-green-eyed beauty was married three times. Her first marriage was to former male model Butch James, the second was to musician Corky Stroman wit

Daniela Victoria Arroyo González becomes the first-ever transgender contestant at Miss Universe Puerto Rico pageant Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023 pre-qualified contestants were recently announced and one of the most talked about is Daniela Victoria Arroyo González. The transgender beauty and advocate for the rights of her own community made history by qualifying as one of the contestants in one most prestigious national pageants in Puerto Rico. "Following my intuition most definitely and manifesting this is a start. I trust my heart and what the universe has written for me," she wrote on her social media. "I have felt your support and I know that your emotion is just as strong as mine. I thank you all for the unconditional love," she added. "Grateful and excited to take you with me on this journey. Let's make history together," she wrote in another post. If Daniela succeeds in winning Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023, she will be the second transgender

Following rounds of auditions, thirty-eight contestants have been pre-selected to take part in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023 competition. This year's pageant will be the 67th edition whose winner will represent the Caribbean island later this year at Miss Universe 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador. For the first time in history, a transgender contestant (Daniela Arroyo González) qualified to compete for the coveted national title. Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 and Miss Universe Top 5 finalist Ashley Cariño will crown her successor at the end of the competition with the final date and venue yet to be announced. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashley Cariño (@ashleyanncarino) Here are the pre-selected contestants: Andrea Sofía Collazo Molina Karina M. Rivera Camacho Natalia Elena Zayas Morales Gabriela Veguilla Cotto   Camila Yari Molina García Luisa A. Vázquez Fiorella Medina Angela Escalera Kiara Rivera Rocío del Mar Avilés Juanita Polanco Ir

The search for Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023 has begun and one notable aspirant who went to audition is former Miss Supranational Puerto Rico Karla Inelisse Guilfú Acevedo. From Supranational to Universe, Karla hopes to represent Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2023, and with the strong track record she holds in pageantry, she could be the one. The 24-year-old hails from Patillas and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology. She was named Puerto Rico's representative for Miss Supranational during Nuestra Belleza Puerto Rico 2020 and went on to bag first runner-up at Miss Supranational 2021 in Poland. Prior to her success on the global stage, she also held the title Miss Teen Mundial Puerto Rico 2018 and finished in the Top 12 at the international Miss Teen Mundial pageant held in El Salvador. In May last year, she stood alongside Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, and Miss International 2019 Sireethorn Leearamwat during a visit to Indonesia for the 25th Puteri Indonesia pageant. W

Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 Ashley Cariño's national costume for the forthcoming 71st Miss Universe pageant has been officially revealed. The costume created by Puerto Rican musical artist and mechanical engineer DJ King Arthur features 42 pieces of biodegradable plastic designed and 3D printed. Inspired by the Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope, it pays homage to important Puerto Rican names in the field of pageantry (former Miss Universe winners) and sports, the national flag, and coquí, an unofficial national symbol of Puerto Rico. Ashley will showcase this futuristic ensemble during the 71st Miss Universe national costume competition in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA this coming January. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Universe Puerto Rico (@muniversepr) Photo: Brandon Cruz González / Wapa.tv RELATED POSTS: Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 is Miss Fajardo, Ashley Ann Cariño Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 Ashley Cariño shares her favorite co

Miss Universe front-runner from Puerto Rico Ashley Cariño squeezed in a few latest photos while she is busy preparing for the competition of her life in just three months. Photographed by Fani Miranda, the proud boricua went to social media on Saturday, September 24 to share the stunning shots of her wearing a gown by Laura Saez and the crown by Lido Jewelers. "My favorite color is purple," she captioned in Spanish with a purple heart emoji and added: "It's no coincidence that purple is the mix of blue with red, the colors of my flag. Let violet be a balance between intensity and calm. It stands for dignity, creativity and magic." The 28-year-old aerospace engineer and women in STEM advocate also continued by sharing how grateful she is for how her country has remained calm amid intensity and how they rise together as brothers. Ashley was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 on August 11 in San Juan and this January, she will attempt to win her country's s

Miss Fajardo, Ashley Ann Cariño, was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 in a glittering competition that took place on Thursday, August 11 at the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré, also known as Bellas Artes de Santurce in San Juan. The 27-year-old beauty succeeds last year's winner Michelle Colón of Loíza and will represent Puerto Rico at the 71st Miss Universe pageant (Miss Universe 2022) later this year. Leonela González De Jesús of Dorado and Camille Fabery Diana of Cataño were named the first and second runners-up, respectively. The representatives of Aguadilla,  Graciela Berrios and Toa Alta, Valeria Pagán Masini, completed the Top 5 finalists. This year's national competition was the 66th edition of Miss Universe Puerto Rico. The event was hosted by former titleholder Estefanía Soto and Puerto Rican journalist Julio Rivera-Saniel while international stars Gloria Trevi, Jencarlos Canela, and Víctor Manuelle were the special guest performers. The new Miss Universe P

Puerto Rico, a small beautiful island territory in the Caribbean, will crown a new queen tonight during the 66th Miss Universe Puerto Rico edition at Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce (Santurce Fine Arts Center). The “Isla del Encanto” (Island of Enchantment) is a "powerhouse" in the Miss Universe pageant after winning five editions courtesy of Marisol Malaret (1970), Deborah Carthy (1985), Dayanara Torres (1993), Denise Quiñones (2001), and Zuleyka Rivera (2006). This year, a total of 28 contestants will battle it out for the coveted national title and the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022. Who will be the next Miss Universe Puerto Rico? Meet our Top 8 favorites for the crown: Miss Adjuntas , Mariana Torres-Bernard , 24, is a volleyball player and aspiring health professional. She studied biology with a concentration in biotechnology at the University of Puerto Rico. Miss Aguadilla , Graciela Berrios Barreto , 18, is also a volleyball player, and an

The preliminary competition of Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 took place on Sunday, August 7 from the historic Teatro Tapia (Tapia Theater) Theater in San Juan. Hosted by "NotiCentro" journalist Jorge Gelpí Pagán and "Viva la tarde" presenter Nicole Chacón, with musical numbers from Lenny Tavárez and  Christian Daniel, the colorful event featured 28 contestants competing in their preliminary swimsuits and evening gowns. The judges were veteran journalist Luz Nereida Vélez; lawyer and businesswoman Vivian Santiago; specialist in oral rehabilitation doctor Carlos Izcoa; journalist, writer and columnit for local and Latin American media Ana Teresa Toro; executive producer and casting film director Germán Legarreta; entrepreneur and Women Who Lead founder Frances Ríos; and actor Eli Cay. Special awards for Best L'Oreal Hair, Best Ceravé and Vichy Skin, Miss Photogenic, and Miss Friendship were respectively awarded to Miss Adjuntas, Mariana Torres Bernard, Miss Fajar

Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2021 Michelle Marie Colón showed off her national costume for the 70th Miss Universe pageant on the "Viva la Tarde" program of Wapa TV. The national costume called "Protectora de Nuestras Costas” not only pays tribute to the Puerto Rican Afro-descendants but also carries a message of awareness for the conservation of the environment. Recycled materials such as plastic bottles, caps, and bags, some of the most common and harmful pollutants in the seas, were collected and transformed into art and music elements for this beautiful creation. Inspired by Puerto Rico's first indigenous music "la bomba" the costume is a collaborative work of Dominican designers Leonel Lirio and plastic artist Luis Rivas. “I wanted a dress that had color, movement, and that transmitted energy. I am extremely happy to be able to bring not only these elements to the universal stage but also to be able to represent the wealth of our Afro-descendants. The dres

Loíza representative, Michelle Colón, was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2021 in a glittering competition held on Thursday, September 30 in San Juan. The 21-year-old model and pre-medicine student who created the CARE Empowerment Program succeeds Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2020 and Miss Universe Top 10 finalist, Estefanía Soto. San Lorenzo’s Jaylene Marie Álvarez and Dorado’s Oxana Isabel Rivera were respectively named the first and second runners-up while Toa Baja’s Heilymar Rosario, Trujillo Alto’s Sthephanie Marie Miranda, and Villalba’s Gabriela Guzmán completed the Top 6. Michelle will now prepare to represent Puerto Rico at the 70th Miss Universe pageant to be held in Eilat, Israel this December. Photos: Miss Universe Puerto Rico

After three successful years, former Miss Universe Denise Quiñones has resigned as national director of the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization. Under her directorship, Puerto Rico managed to achieve high placements at Miss Universe with Kiara Ortega (Top 5), Madison Anderson (first runner-up), and Estefanía Soto (Top 10). Wapa Televisión, franchise holder of Miss Universe made the announcement on Saturday, May 21. The network will continue to work with the reigning queen and prepare for the staging of the national competition's next edition that will kick off casting early next month. Prior to becoming an actress, Denise was crowned Miss Universe 2001  at Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez in Bayamón. She was the fourth representative from Puerto Rico to win the pageant. Photo: Denise Quiñones / Instagram

Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2020 Estefanía Soto Torres will be wearing a stunning Walter Mercado-inspired national costume at the 69th Miss Universe pageant. In honor of the Puerto Rican astrologer's life trajectory and unifying message of love and acceptance, Joshuan Aponte created the costume with 86,400 pieces of Austrian crystals. The beautiful headpiece is made of gold jewelry and precious stones that denote the 12 zodiacal signs and the stars in the sky. It is designed and composed of 78 separate pieces, one for each town of Puerto Rico, and includes six last quarter moons that embody the search for the country's 6th Miss Universe crown. "Walter Mercado inspired us to live embracing our identity and valuing our differences. The unifying force behind his message of universal positivism gives us the extraordinary power of progress in the face of the challenges we face as humanity," Estefanía shared on social media. "With this national costume, we celebrate Wa