Miss Venezuela beauty contest on backburner with US dollar freeze

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela Electronis news Posted: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venevision TV channel's  staging of the annual Miss Venezuela beauty contest has been put on hold.  The recession is partly to blame but organizers complain that the government exchange rate policy is forcing them to draw up a more austere budget. 

Contest impresario, Osmel Sousa says the company should have started on castings in the provinces to select State representatives and planning TV spots but adds that everything has been postponed.  "We won't know where we stand until we are allocated dollars." 

Sousa points out that the show cost 100 million bolivares four years ago and that a lot of resources are sunk into producing the contest.  Companies traditionally sponsoring the contest say they are also waiting in the queue for dollars.

"I am optimistic and am certain the panorama will improve ... the current political and socio-economic situation limits medium and long term planning ... the possibility that we won't have a Miss Venezuela contest this year is looming in the background ... it would be sad."

The final decision is in the hands of the Cisneros Organization that owns Venevision ... Sousa says he'll abide by any company decision.