San Salvador, El Salvador (EFE).-
The more than 80 Miss Universe 2023 contestants were officially welcomed by the government of El Salvador late Wednesday in an event where they also interacted with the local and foreign media. The event was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, near San Salvador, and was attended by the president of the Miss Universe Organization, Paula Shugart, and the ambassador of El Salvador to the United States, Milena Mayorga.
“We are grateful to the organization for trusting El Salvador. As a Government we have prepared ourselves in the best way to receive them with open arms (…) On behalf of President Nayib Bukele, welcome,” Mayorga said in a short speech. After the welcoming remarks, the Miss Universe hopefuls introduced themselves one by one and then were feted at a private reception. In addition, this time in Miss Universe, two transgender women are participating, representing Portugal and the Netherlands.
Moreover, as another novelty of the contest, two of the participants are married and with children, which has become possible after the change of rules that allows women that are married, pregnant, divorced or with children to also compete.
In January, Bukele announced during the transmission of the 71st edition of the Miss Universe contest in New Orleans, United States, that El Salvador would host the 72 edition of the beauty pageant.
The final ceremony of the 72nd edition of the contest will take place on November 18 at the Gimnasio Nacional Adolfo Pineda in San Salvador.
This will be the second time that El Salvador will host the Miss Universe contest, after first doing so in 1975. EFE
