CARACAS.- Ileana Márquez, 27 years old, became the first madre crowned in Miss Venezuela, an emblematic beauty pageant in this South American country.
Márquez, a senior technician in Initial Education, was elected Miss Venezuela with her daughter Guadalupe watching her from the stands, and then she hugged her to end up celebrating on stage.
The Miss Venezuela contest admitted for the first time women with children, married and divorced, as candidates, within the framework of reforms undertaken by the Miss Universe franchise since last year to open its participation.
Statements from the first mother Miss Venezuela
“Venezuela, thank you for believing in me,” celebrated Márquez, born in Valencia, Carabobo state (north-central), although she introduced the jungle state of Amazonas (south).
“This triumph is not just for me baby, it is for you,” she added in an elegant red ballgown and her brown hair tied up.
This year, Miss Universe had two mother candidates for the first time, the representative of Colombia, Camila Avella; and that of Guatemala, Melanie Cohn Bech.
Miss Venezuela is one of the most traditional shows in a country that boasts of being a “queen factory”, with seven Miss Universe.
The last Venezuelan to obtain that title was María Gabriela Isler in 2013.
Márquez will be the representative of Venezuela in the 73rd edition of Miss Universe.
In a country decimated by years of crisis, this year’s contest was held on the terrace of a shopping center, far from the pomposity of the great stages of the past such as the Poliedro de Caracas, with capacity for about 20,000 people.
