To date, Venezuela now completed the lucky 7s of Miss Venezuela placements in the top 4 of Miss Universe. Here's why.
SEVEN 3RD Runners Up
1968 - Peggy Kopp Arenas
1985 - Silvia Cristina Martínez Stapulionis
1987 - Inés María Calero Rodríguez
1991 - Jackeline Rodríguez Streffeza
1992 - Carolina Éva Izsák Keményfy
1999 - Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto
2001 - Eva Mónica Anna Ekvall Johnson
SEVEN 2ND Runners Up
1972 - María Antonieta Cámpoli Prisco
1984 - Carmen María Montiel Ávila
1993 - Milka Yelisava Chulina Urbanich
1994 - Minorka Marisela Mercado Carrero
2007 - Lydimar Carolina Jonaitis Escalona
2012 - Irene Sofía Esser Quintero
2018 - Sthefany Yoharlis Gutiérrez Gutiérrez
SEVEN 1ST Runners Up
1967 - María Elena Pérez Branger
1976 - Judith Josefina Castillo Uribe
1997 - Marena Josefina Bencomo Giménez
1998 - Veruzhka Tatiana Ramírez
2000 - Claudia Cristina Moreno González
2003 - Mariángel Ruiz Torrealba
2022 - Amanda Dudamel Newman
SEVEN MISS UNIVERSE TITLES
1979 - Maritza Sayalero Fernández
1981 - Irene Lailin Sáez Conde
1986 - Bárbara Palacios Teyde de Manrique
1996 - Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo
2008 - Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Moncada
2009 - Stefanía Fernández Krupij
2013 - María Gabriela de Jesús Isler Morales
To date, Venezuela now has 28 placements in the TOP 4 of Miss Universe, only equaled by the USA also after winning the title this year, with 9 winners, 9 1st runners up, 7 2nd Runners up, and 3 3rd runners up.
Additional notes.
Though not announced as runners up (1991-Jackeline Rodriguez, 1992-Carolina Izsak and 1999-Carolina Indriago) Venezuela was ranked 4th based on the televised scores computation before the top 3 was called.
Venezuela had already shared the top 2 spot with the USA 4 times: 1967, 1997, 1981 and the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant.
Venezuela has been in the court of winner/runners up 6 years in a row from 1996 to 2001, followed by Finland from 1965 to 1969 and 4 for the Philippines from 2010 to 2013, Germany from 1954 to 1957, the USA from 1958 to 1961, and Venezuela, again, from 1984 to 1987.
In two editions of Miss Universe, Curacao was always among the top finalists each time Venezuela is first runner up to the USA. Verna Vasquez in 1997 and Gabriella Dos Santos in the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant.
In two consecutive editions, 1993 and 1994 where Venezuela's Milka Chulina and Minorka Mercado was 2nd runner up, Colombia was also 1st runner up with Paula Andrea Betancourt and Carolina Gomez
Venezuela and USA are the only countries, so far, to have done sandwich victories to each other:
Venezuela-USA-Venezula (1979-1980-1981)
USA-Venezuela-USA
(1995-1996-1997)
and almost replicating this feat in 2014 if only Nia Sanchez of USA had won over the unbeatable Paulina Vega of Colombia.
USA-Venezuela-'almost' USA
(2012-2013-2014) But is still notable, anyway, as the USA passed the crown thrice to Venezuela - 1981, 1996 and 2013.
And of course, the back to back victory in 2008 and 2009 with Dayana Mendoza and Stefania Fernandez that everyone thought could never happen in Miss Universe! As they say, Venezuela is VENEZUELA.
*creditos a Julio Rodriguez Matute for the video collage
