By 2024, the Miss Universe beauty pageant plans to have representatives from 120 countries, so He summoned Cuba to return after 57 years of absence; However, the Caribbean nation’s contest will be held in Florida, because the organization considers to the Cuban regime a dictatorship and refuses to carry out any transaction with him.
“Prince” Julio César, organizer of the Cuban pageant, told the agency EFE that the Miss Universe organization, with more than 60 years of experience, “is completely closed to making any transaction with the Cuban Government”.
The national director of Miss Cuba said that the organization he represents does not make deals with dictatorial regimes, “but with totally democratic governments.” That is why it was decided to give Cuba the opportunity to participate in Miss Universe, but from the city of Miami.
The Venezuelan fashion designer considered it appropriate to remember that, since the beginning of the dictatorship in Cuba, in 1959, the nation stopped participating in the contest because “was not compatible with his ideals”.
In addition, she explained that for two years there were Cuban queens chosen in exile and crowned in an event held in Miami, called Miss Cuba Libre. However, it did not last due to the tensions between Cuba and the United States at that time.
Regarding the decision to choose Miami as the venue for the event, he noted that it is “the largest bastion of all Cubans in the world.”
According to César, at the contest, which will take place in Miami next Septemberthe representatives of Cuba chosen from among the candidates in exile will participate, and specified that the majority were born in the Caribbean nation and “They have arrived here on a raft“They have arrived here by boat, they have arrived here through a visa.”
Regarding the selection process, he stressed that of a thousand applicants who appeared in this city, among women born on the island or of Cuban parents, a little more than half were preselectedand from them the twenty finalists will emerge.
The winner will bring a message to Mexico to the contest that will surely “be one of freedom, of democracy,” said the national director of Miss Cuba who in recent statements had indicated that The platform he ran did not have political purposes, but rather cultural ones..
However, César considered that Cuba’s return to the beauty pageant responds to a question of “vision” of the organization of the pageant.
“I believe that they are betting on inclusion from all points of view, much more from culture, and it has to do with this movement of female empowerment, not taking away or not allowing any woman, regardless of what is happening in their country. Whatever happens, she can’t be there,” he declared to EFE.
The Miss Universe event gala will be held next November, in Mexico, and Cuba will have a representative for the first time after 57 years of absence.
