Miss World Venezuela (Spanish: Miss Venezuela Mundo) is a Venezuelan beauty pageant operated by the Cisneros Group. Founded in 2000, it currently selects Venezuelan representatives to Miss World. The current national director of Miss World Venezuela is Miss Universe 2013, Gabriela Isler.
The current Miss World Venezuela is Mística Núñez of Falcón, who was crowned on 12 November 2025 at the Venevisión Studios in Caracas, Venezuela.
History
Background (1955 - 1980)
The Miss Venezuela pageant was officially founded in 1952 by American airline Pan Am and businesswoman Gloria Sánchez, with the purpose of sending a Venezuelan representative to the Miss Universe pageant in Long Beach, California. After a first interruption in 1954 during the Marcos Pérez Jiménez dictatorship, Pan Am ceded the rights to the contest in 1955 to Venezuelan journalist and musicologist, Reinaldo Espinoza Hernández.
That year, after witnessing Miss Venezuela 1955, Susana Duijm's qualification as one of the 15 semi-finalists in Miss Universe 1955; Eric Morley, English businessman and founder of Miss World, invited her to participate at the pageant in London, which she would later won, becoming the first Latin American girl to win one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
Hernández, despite the debut and triumph of Duijm in Miss World 1955, faced protests by the Venezuelan Catholic Church and feminist movements, which added the lack of interest by the press of the time. In addition, a second interruption in 1959 caused by the 1958 Venezuelan coup d'état, led to the sale of the contest to Edwin E. Acosta-Rubio, a Cuban-Venezuelan businessman in 1962.
Since 1972, the Cisneros Organization acquired the rights to start producing and broadcasting the beauty contest on its channel, Venevisión.
Already in the 1960s, the Acosta-Rubio Organization had begun to obtain excellent results in Miss World with candidates such as Marzia Piazza in 1969 as 4th runner-up, María Conchita Alonso in 1975 as 6th runner-up, Patricia Tóffoli in 1978 or Hilda Abrahamz in 1980 as Top 15 semi-finalists, among others; and with Maritza Sayalero's win as Miss Universe 1979, began what is considered the 'Golden age of Miss Venezuela'.
Miss Venezuela Organization (1981 -) In 1981, Irene Sáez and Pilín León won both Miss Universe 1981 and Miss World 1981 competitions respectively; events that were added to the death of the president at the time, Ignacio Font Coll, brother-in-law of Edwin Acosta-Rubio. Finally, in 1982, the Cisneros Group was placed at the helm of the beauty contest and the Miss Venezuela Organization was officially structured, being appointed Osmel Sousa (a long time-worker at the empress) as Coll's successor, taking the charge of president.
After Astrid Carolina Herrera won Miss World 1984; in 1985, the title of Miss Venezuela World was awarded for the first time in the contest, with Ruddy Rodríguez being the winner.
Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a boom of success, with finalists and runners-up such as Ruddy Rodríguez, María Begoña Juaristi, Albany Lozada, Emma Rabbe, Sharon Luengo, Francis Gago, Mónica Lei, Irene Ferreira, and Ana Cepinska; in addition to the titles won by Ninibeth Leal in 1991 and Jacqueline Aguilera in 1995. Miss Venezuela Mundo (2000 - present)
In 1996, the beauty pageant founded the Mister Venezuela competition, as a request of the Miss World Organization.
In 1999, the Miss World Organization also requested that the winner of Miss Venezuela, Martina Thorogood, represented the country at Miss World. After her placement as 1st runner-up in Miss World 1999, the Miss Venezuela Organization founded Miss World Venezuela (Miss Venezuela Mundo) as an independent pageant to Miss Venezuela.
Vanessa Cárdenas was crowned as the first Miss World Venezuela. However, the pageant has been held at certain times. Initially, from 2000 to 2002, the competition was defined by having a larger number of preselected candidates would later participate in Miss Venezuela; then from 2013 to 2015, the candidates where from outside the Miss Venezuela competition, or in minor cases from previous editions, and from 2020 onward, the same candidates have competed in Miss Venezuela.
In 2002, the pageant was held during the Miss Venezuela Beauty Gala (Gala de la Belleza), where Goizeder Azúa won the title; she was later crowned Miss International 2003. In 2006, a special edition was held in which candidates from previous editions participated. In 2016 and 2017, representatives were designated. In other cases, the winner of Miss World Venezuela has been chosen within Miss Venezuela, or even the Miss Venezuela winner herself has been the representative at Miss World, as in 2018 with Isabella Rodríguez.
Under Osmel Sousa's leadership, Venezuela has won more Miss World titles than any other country, with six titles, along with India; placing the country first in the pageant ranking. The last Venezuelan to be crowned Miss World was Ivian Sarcos in 2011.
On 6 February 2018, Osmel Sousa, announced his retirement as President of the Miss Venezuela Organization, after being in charge of the contest for more than 40 years, leaving the presidency vacant.
On 17 April 2018, the organization announced that the contest would it be run by an executive committee, not a president. The next day, the committee members were announced: Gabriela Isler, Miss Universe 2013, Jacqueline Aguilera, Miss World 1995 and Nina Sicilia, Miss International 1985.
Contestant selection List of state titles There is an unofficial formula to determine the states and regions represented in Venezuela. The base number of contestants over the last decade has been 26–28, which can be increased or decreased by the contest management.
In some editions, the candidates have been identified with numbers, while in others they have represented entities of the country.
Winners by state/region
StateNumberYearsMiranda9Distrito Capital8Zulia7Aragua4PortuguesaLa GuairaNueva EspartaAnzoátegui3SucreCojedes2MonagasAmazonasCosta OrientalCaraboboBolívarFalcónDependencias Federales12024Mérida2006TrujilloApure1983Barinas1979Lara1976Caracas1960 The state later inherited the Miss World Venezuela title after the original titleholder resigned indicated in italics
Venezuelan representation Venezuela's international titleholders represented the following states during their Miss Venezuela competition (indicates year of international victory): Miss World: Miranda (1955; 1984), Aragua (1981), Zulia (1991), Nueva Esparta (1995) and Amazonas (2011).
Main pageant
Participation in international pageants Number of wins at major beauty pageants Current franchises Pageant Titles Miss World 6 1955, 1981, 1984, 1991, 1995, 2011 As of , Venezuela has a total of six Miss World titles
Venezuela has held Miss Universe and Miss World titles simultaneously in 1981 (Irene Saez and Pilin Leon).
Recent titleholders
The following women have been recently crowned Miss World Venezuela: YearStateTitleholderVenueDatePlacement2024Dependencias FederalesValeria CannavòEstudio 1, Venevisión, CaracasUnplaced in Miss World 20252021CojedesAriagny DaboínEstudio 1, Venevisión, CaracasUnplaced in Miss World 20232020AraguaAlejandra CondeEstudio 5, Venevisión, CaracasTop 40 in Miss World 20212018PortuguesaIsabella RodríguezEstudio 5, Venevisión, CaracasTop 40 in Miss World 20192017VargasVeruska LjubisavljevićEstudio 5, Venevisión, CaracasTop 30 in Miss World 2018
Miss World Venezuela representatives The following women have represented Venezuela in Miss World.
Miss Venezuela World Color key
In recent years Miss Venezuela Mundo under Miss Venezuela Organization holds a separate contest to select its winner to Miss World pageant.
Year State Placement at Miss World Special Award(s) 2026 Falcón Mística Francelina del Carmen Núñez Rujano Unplaced2025Dependencias FederalesMaría Valeria Cannavò Balsamo Unplaced 2024 colspan=4 2023 Cojedes Ariagny Idayari Daboín Ricardo Unplaced 2022 colspan=4 2021 Aragua Alejandra José Conde Licón Top 40 2020 colspan=4 2019 Portuguesa María Isabel (Isabella) Rodríguez Guzmán Top 40 2018 Vargas Veruska Betania Ljubisavljević Rodríguez Top 30 2017 Monagas Ana Carolina Ugarte-Pelayo Campos Top 40 2016 Nueva Esparta Diana Macarena Croce García Unplaced 2015 Portuguesa Anyela Galante Salerno Unplaced 2014 Amazonas Debora Sacha Menicucci Anzola Unplaced 2013 Zulia Karen Andrea Soto Lugo Unplaced 2012 Distrito Capital Gabriella Ferrari Peirano Unplaced 2011 Amazonas Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares Miss World 2011 2010 Zulia Adriana Cristina Vasini Sánchez 2nd Runner-Up 2009 Anzoátegui María Milagros Véliz Pinto Unplaced 2008 Cojedes Hannelly Zulami Quintero Ledezma Top 15 2007 Mérida Claudia Paola Suárez Fernández Top 16 2006 Miranda Alexandra Federica Guzmán Diamante Top 17 2005 Costa Oriental Berliz Susan Carrizo Escandela Unplaced 2004 Trujillo Andrea María Milroy Díaz Unplaced 2003 Miranda Valentina Patruno Macero Top 20 2002 Carabobo Goizeder Victoria Azúa Barríos Top 10 2001 Zulia Andreína del Carmen Prieto Rincón Unplaced 2000 Zulia Vanessa María Cárdenas Bravo Unplaced 1999 Miranda Martina Thorogood Heemsen 1st Runner-Up 1998 Monagas Veronica Schneider Rodríguez Unplaced 1997 Nueva Esparta Christina Dieckmann Jiménez Unplaced 1996 Nueva Esparta Ana Cepinska Miszczak Top 5 1995 Nueva Esparta Jacqueline María Aguilera Marcano Miss World 1995 1994 Miranda Irene Esther Ferreira Izquierdo 2nd Runner-Up 1993 Distrito Federal Mónica Lei Scaccia Top 5 1992 Bolívar Francis del Valle Gago Aponte 2nd Runner-Up 1991 Zulia Ninibeth Beatriz Leal Jiménez Miss World 1991 1990 Costa Oriental Sharon Raquel Luengo González 2nd Runner-Up 1989Distrito FederalFabiola Chiara Candosin MarchettiUnplaced 1988 Distrito Federal Emma Irmgard Marina Rabbe Ramírez Top 5 1987 Portuguesa Albani Josefina Lozada Jiménez 1st Runner-Up 1986 Zulia María Begoña Juaristi Mateo Top 7 1985 Anzoátegui Ruddy Rosario Rodríguez de Lucía Top 7 1984 Miranda Astrid Carolina Herrera Irazábal Miss World 1984 1983 Apure Carolina del Valle Cerruti Duijm Unplaced 1982 Falcón Michelle Marie Shoda Belloso Unplaced 1981 Aragua Carmen Josefina "Pilín" León Crespo Miss World 1981 1980 Departamento Vargas Hilda Astrid Abrahamz Navarro Top 15 1979 Barinas Tatiana Capote Abdel Unplaced 1978 Falcón Katty Patricia Tóffoli Andrade Top 15 1977 Distrito Federal Jacqueline van den Branden Unplaced 1976 Lara Maria Genoveva Rivero Giménez Top 15 1975 Distrito Federal María Concepción Alonso Bustillo Top 7 1974 Departamento Vargas Alicia Rivas Serrano Unplaced 1973 Zulia Edicta de los Ángeles García Oporto Unplaced 1972 Sucre Amalia del Carmen Heller Gómez Unplaced 1971 Carabobo Ana María Padrón Ibarrondo Top 15 1970 Miranda Tomasa Nina de las Casas Mata Unplaced 1969 Departamento Vargas Marzia Rita Gisela Piazza Suprani 4th Runner-Up 1968 Miranda María Dolores (Cherry) Núñez Rodríguez Unplaced 1967 Bolívar Irene Margarita Böttger González Unplaced 1966 Distrito Federal Jeannette Kopp Arenas Unplaced 1965 Anzoátegui Nancy Elizabeth González Aceituno Unplaced 1964 Portuguesa Mercedes Hernández Nieves † Top 16 1963 Miranda Milagros Galíndez Castillo Unplaced 1962 Aragua Betzabé Franco Blanco Top 15 1961 Aragua Bexi Cecilia Romero Tosta Unplaced 1960 Caracas Miriam Maritza Estévez Acevedo colspan=2 1959 colspan=4 1958 Sucre Ida Margarita Pieri Unplaced 1957 Distrito Federal Consuelo Nouel † Unplaced 1956 Sucre Celsa Drucila Pieri Pérez Unplaced 1955 Miranda Carmen Susana Duijm Zubillaga † Miss World 1955
Miss World Venezuela gallery
Notes
Miss World Venezuela historial
Miss Venezuela Organization
See also Mister Venezuela List of Miss Venezuela titleholders List of Miss Venezuela editions List of beauty contests
Notes
References
External links Miss World Venezuela Official Website Miss Venezuela La Nueva Era MB