The Organización Miss América Latina, known in English as the Miss Latin America Organization is a company that owns and organizes the Miss Latin America and Miss Latina US pageants. The organization was founded in the 1980s. The first pageant established was the Miss Latin America, in 1981. Miss Latina US was founded as Miss Latina USA in 1986, and is the official national preliminary for the United States to Miss Latin America. Miss Teen US Latina was founded in 2003.
Titleholders
The following is a list of the titleholders for the Miss Latin America Organization, spanning back to Miss Latin America 1981.
YearNameNationalityCityCountry 1981 Lesley Quintanilla Miami, Florida 1982 Martha Álvarez 1983 María Rosa 1984 Mirla Ochoa 1985 Victoria Mauríz 1986 Lucia Collado San José 1987-1988The 1988 event was postponed until 1989 because of the Mexican presidential inauguration, and thus Lorenia Burruel was named Miss América Latina 1987-88 Lorenia Burruel Santa Cruz de la Sierra 1989 Suzanne Hannaux Hermosillo, Sonora 1990 Vanessa Holler San Salvador 1991 María Elena Bellido Buenos Aires 1992 Ana Sofía Pereira Guayaquil 1993 María Fernanda Morales Guatemala City 1994-1995The 1995 event was canceled due to a national crisis in the host city. Priscila Furlan was then named Miss América Latina 1994-95. Priscila Furlan Guayaquil 1996-1997The 1997 event was postponed for unknown reasons. Thus, Jeannette Chávez's title was extended to Miss América Latina 1996-97 Jeannette Chávez Lima 1998-1999The 1999 event was renamed to Miss América Latina 2000 in order to post-date the titles. Aline Resende's title was changed to Miss América Latina 1998-99. Aline Resende Costa del Sol 2000 Dania Prince Guatemala City 2001 Grace Martins Montelimar Beach 2002 Claudia Cruz Bávaro Beach 2003 Maria Carolina Casado Playa Tambor 2004 Gamalis Fermín Cancún, Quintana Roo 2005 Mariela Candia Punta Cana 2006 Melissa Quesada Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo 2007 Giannina Silva (dethroned) Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo Heidy García (successor) 2008 Daniele Sampaio Punta Cana 2009 Johanna Solano 2010 Carolina Lemus 2011 Estefani Chalco 2012 Georgina Méndez Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo 2013 Julia Guerra Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo 2014 Nicole Pinto (resigned) Punta Cana Yanire Ortiz (successor) 2015 Karla Monje Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo 2016 Laura Spoya 2017 Elicena Andrada Orrego Bahías de Huatulco, Oaxaca 2018 Nadine Teresa Verhulp Punta Cana
Year Miss Latin America Country Represented Miss Latina US State Represented Miss Teen US Latina State Represented 2008 Daniele Sampaio Fatima Leonardo+ 2007 Heidi Garcia * Yalena Matos Nicole Korrody Giannina Silva * 2006 Melissa Quesada United States Melissa Marin Karla Acosta 2005 Mariela Candia Melissa Quesada Geysha Gonzalez 2004 Gamalis Fermín Graciela Stanley Michelle Gonzalez 2003 Maria Carolina Casado Lydia Acuña Edshelee Torres 2002 Claudia Cruz Elynor Martinez 2001 Grace Martins Karla Vargas 2000 Dania Prince Katherine Gonzalez 1999 Aline Resende *** Dilania Inoa Kristine Taranco ** 1998 Katherine Rodriguez 1997 Jeannette Chavez *** 1996 Iris Almario **** 1995 Priscila Furlan *** 1994 Joanne Morale-George 1993 María Fernanda Morales Dailin Garcia 1992 Ana Sofía Pereira Carla Morales 1991 María Elena Bellido Yvette Gonzalez 1990 Vanessa Holler Carola Garfias 1989 Suzanne Hannaux Hany Valdes 1988 Lorenia Burruel *** 1987 Sdenka Dobronic 1986 Lucia Collado Sandra Luz Cedillos 1985 Victoria Mauríz 1984 Mirla Ochoa 1983 María Rosa 1982 Martha Alvarez Miami, Florida, United States 1981 Lesley Quintana Miami, Florida, United States
Notes
* In 2007, Silva was dethroned by the Miss Latin America Organization and replaced by Garcia, the first runner-up.
** Taranco wasn't actually crowned Miss Teen US Latina, but rather won the title Miss Teen Florida Latina, the first teenage pageant associated with the Miss Latin America Organization.
*** For one various reason or another, Lorenia Burruel, Priscila Furlan, Jeannette Chavez, and Aline Resende had their titles expanded for another year.
**** No Miss Latina USA 1996 was organized. Rather, a panel of judges chose Iris Almario, the first runner-up at Miss Latina USA 1993, to represent the United States at Miss Latin America 1996.
+ Fatima Leonardo was selected to represent the United States at Miss Latin America 2008. She had won the state title for Rhode Island already, and was selected amongst those who were going to compete at Miss Latina US 2008, which had been postponed to after Miss Latin America 2008.
References
External links Official Miss Latina US Website Official Miss Latin America Website (Spanish)