Mexico was represented at the OTI Festival 1987 with the song "", written and performed by Ana Gabriel. The Mexican participating broadcaster, Televisa, selected its entry through a national televised competition with several phases. The song, that was performed in position 19, placed third out of 24 competing entries, tying with the song from Spain.

National stage Televisa held a national competition with three televised qualifying rounds, a playoff, a semi-final, and a final to select its entry for the 16th edition of the OTI Festival. This sixteenth edition of the National OTI Festival featured twenty-four songs in the qualifying rounds, twelve in the semi-final, and six in the final. The top-three entries were awarded at the end. In addition to the general competition, awards were also given for Best Male Performer, Best Female Performer, Best Musical Arrangement, Breakout Male Artist, Breakout Female Artist, and Best Group among all the competing artists.

The qualifying rounds were held at Studio 2 of Televisa San Ángel in Mexico City, presented by , while the semi-final and the final were held in Querétaro, presented by Raúl Velasco, all broadcast on . The musical director was , who conducted the orchestra when required.

+ Competing entries on the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Songwriter(s) Conductor "" Lara y Monárrez Jesús Medel "" Johnny Laboriel Saúl de León "" Byanca "" Ana Gabriel Ana Gabriel Rubén Zepeda "" Claudia Angélica Francisco Curiel "" Álvaro Dávila Álvaro Dávila "" Okey Erick Aldrett "" Francisco Xavier Francisco Xavier Berganza Marco Flores "" Marcos Valdés Jorge T. Victoria Jesús López "" Marycela Alfredo Díaz Ordaz Alfredo Díaz Ordaz "" Hernán Visetti Sylvia Tapia Rubén Zepeda "" Yuri Roberto Roffiel Roberto Roffiel "" José Cantoral José Cantoral "" Pandora Chucho Ferrer "" Jay-Boss Chucho Ferrer "" Marisa de Lille Francisco Samper Jesús Medel "" Laura Flores Rubén Zepeda "" Marián Carlos María Pedro Alberto Cárdenas "" Gibrán Chucho Ferrer "" Dulce Fernando Riba Alfonso Rosas "" Antonio de Jesús Jesús Medel "" La Pirámide Carlos Guerrero "" José María Lobo José María Lobo Francisco Curiel "" Jorge Muñiz Grupo Forastero Eugenio Toussaint

Qualifying rounds The three qualifying rounds were held on Saturdays 5, 12, and 19 September 1987. Each round featured eight entries, of which the three highest-scoring advanced to the semi-final. In each round, after all the competing entries were performed, each of the nine jurors cast one vote for each of their three favorite entries. In case of a tie for qualification, the president of the jury decided between the tied entries.

The nine jurors in the qualifiying rounds were: Shanik Berman, Alma Elena Quintana, Jesús Gallegos, Enrique Okamura, Tomás Méndez, Moisés Ortega Medina, Marcos Olivares, Andrea Cotto, and Juan Calderón as chairperson.

+ Result of the first qualifying round of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" La Pirámide 4 2 "" 0 3 "" Johnny Laboriel 2 4 "" Marisa de Lille 0 5 "" Lara y Monárrez 4 Qualified 6 "" Ana Gabriel 9 Qualified 7 "" Hernán Visetti 7 Qualified 8 "" Yuri 1

+ Detailed vote of the first qualifying round of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" Total 1 "" 1 1 1 1 4 2 "" 0 3 "" 1 1 2 4 "" 0 5 "" 1 1 1 1 4 6 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 7 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 8 "" 1 1

+ Result of the second qualifying round of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" Marián 0 2 "" Álvaro Dávila 6 Qualified 3 "" Claudia Angélica 2 4 "" Pandora 6 Qualified 5 "" José Cantoral 8 Qualified 6 "" Marycela 0 7 "" Okey 0 8 "" Francisco Xavier 5

+ Result of the third qualifying round of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" Byanca 1 2 "" Gibrán 6 3 "" Laura Flores 1 4 "" Jay-Boss 0 5 "" Jorge Muñiz 6 Qualified 6 "" Marcos Valdés 0 7 "" José María Lobo 7 Qualified 8 "" Dulce 6 Qualified

Playoff The playoff was held on Saturday 19 September 1987 following the third qualifying round. To select the last three semi-finalists, each of the nine jurors cast one vote for each of their three favorite entries among the fifteen not qualified.

+ Result of the playoff of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Result "" "" "" "" Qualified "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" Qualified "" "" Qualified

Semi-final The semi-final was held on Saturday 3 October 1987. After all the competing entries were performed, each of the eleven jurors cast one vote for each of their six favorite entries, and the six most voted songs went on to the final.

+ Result of the semi-final of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" La Pirámide 1 2 "" Gibrán 8 Qualified 3 "" José María Lobo 9 Qualified 4 "" Álvaro Dávila 6 5 "" José Cantoral 9 Qualified 6 "" Ana Gabriel 9 Qualified 7 "" Pandora 3 8 "" Francisco Xavier 2 9 "" Hernán Visetti 5 10 "" Dulce 7 Qualified 11 "" Lara y Monárrez 1 12 "" Jorge Muñiz 6 Qualified

Final The six-song final was held on Sunday 4 October 1987. The final was held in two rounds. In the first round, each of the eleven jurors cast aloud one vote for each of their three favorite entries, and the three most voted songs went on to the superfinal. In the superfinal, after the three songs were performed again, each juror announced aloud one vote for their favourite entry. The eleven jurors were: Silvia Pinal, Enrique Okamura, Rocío Banquells, Alma Elena Quintana, Tomás Méndez, Juan Calderón (chairperson), Shanik Berman, Moisés Ortega Medina, Marcos Olivares, Andrea Cotto, and Jesús Gallegos.

The winner was "", written and performed by Ana Gabriel. The festival ended with a reprise of the winning entry.

+ Result of the final of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" Jorge Muñiz 1 6 2 "" José Cantoral 8 Qualified 3 "" Dulce 4 4 4 "" José María Lobo 3 5 5 "" Gibrán 10 Qualified 6 "" Ana Gabriel 7 Qualified

+ Detailed vote of the final of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" Total 1 "" 1 1 2 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 3 "" 1 1 1 1 4 4 "" 1 1 1 3 5 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 6 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7

+ Result of the superfinal of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song Artist Votes Result 1 "" José Cantoral 4 2 2 "" Gibrán 1 3 3 "" Ana Gabriel 6 1

+ Detailed vote of the superfinal of the National OTI Festival – Mexico 1987 Song scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" Total 1 "" 1 1 1 1 4 2 "" 1 1 3 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

Merit awards In the final, the jurors voted for the Best Male and Female Performer, Best Musical Arrangement, Breakout Male and Female Artist, and Best Group among the three shortlisted artist in each category.

Álvaro Dávila received the Best Male Performer Award; Ana Gabriel the Best Female Performer Award; the Best Musical Arrangement Award for ""; José María Lobo the Breakout Male Artist Award; the Breakout Female Artist Award, and Pandora the Best Group Award.

Official album 12 finalistas del Festival OTI 1987 is the official compilation album of the sixteenth edition of the Mexican National OTI Festival, released by Melody Internacional in 1987. The vinyl LP features the studio version of the twelve songs qualified for the semi-final.

At the OTI Festival On 24 October 1987, the OTI Festival was held at Teatro São Luiz in Lisbon, Portugal, hosted by (RTP), and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Ana Gabriel performed "" in position 19, with Chucho Ferrer conducting the event's orchestra, and placing third out of 24 competing entries, tying with the song from Spain.

References