Miss Venezuela Quits Miss Universe Pageant Due to Dollar Limits

Caracas, May 16 (<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Miss Venezuela, Mariangel Ruiz, pulled out of the Miss Universe contest because the country's beauty contest organization said it couldn't get the dollars it needs to cover the costs of her competing.

Ruiz will be the first Venezuelan contestant in 44 years to miss the pageant, which has seen four of her compatriots crowned winners. Venezuela is tied with Puerto Rico for second place for the most winners of the contest, trailing only the U.S., which has had six winners since 1959. Contest organizers estimated that Ruiz, 23, needed at least $60,000 to compete in the pageant, which starts next week in Panama.

``Venezuela has a very strong following and the country's absence this year will be deeply felt,'' said Paula Shugart, head of the Miss Universe contest, in a statement supplied by Venevision, which oversees the Miss Venezuela contest.

Miss Venezuela is the latest casualty of Venezuela's decision in January to ban dollar sales to stem a decline in international reserves after a two-month strike cut oil output, which accounted for 43 percent of government revenue last year. Limited dollar sales began in April but only for some foods, medicines and students studying abroad.

Venevision is owned by billionaire Gustavo Cisneros, a vocal critic of President Hugo Chavez.

Beauty pageants are a national obsession in Venezuela, where the Miss Venezuela contest draws more than half of all television viewers.

Last Updated: May 16, 2003 15:26 EDT