By Francisco Acevedo
HAVANA TIMES – The words in the title of this article couldn’t be more opposites, but it seems they will come together soon.
This is thanks to an initiative strictly in Miami aiming to bring Cuba back to the famous Miss Universe program, which crowns the most beautiful woman in the world. The 2024 edition will feature a representative from the Caribbean island on November 16 in Mexico, the contest’s host country.
Fifty-seven years after Fidel Castro prohibited Cuban women from participating, the flag of the lone star will once again be seen among the contestants. Who knows if she may even advance to the decisive stages?
Last Thursday, a gala took place in Miami to choose the representative of Cuba for this prestigious pageant. The winner was Marianela Ancheta, who will be the first woman born on the island to step onto that stage since 1967.
The selection was not without controversy. The popular influencer Alexander Otaola revealed the winner’s name more than a month ago, suggesting that it was because she didn’t want to talk about politics and had connections with several well-known and powerful figures in the entertainment industry.
This first phase saw several dropouts along the way, not all of them due to the competition itself. Some girls withdrew, though the exact reasons remain unclear. Specifically, the mother of Rachel Vallori, who represented Isla de la Juventud (though she was born in the capital), publicly denounced the situation. Vallori had no choice but to step down, citing personal and professional issues. Her mother implied that not all contestants were treated equally and added that her daughter had
