Veruska Ramírez

Venezuelan beauty pageant titleholder

Miss Venezuela 1997 (winner)
(Most Beautiful Eyes)
Miss Universe 1998 (1st runner-Up)
(Best in Swimsuit)

Veruzhka Tatiana Ramírez is a Venezuelan beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Venezuela 1997, and was first runner-up at Miss Universe 1998.^[1]

Miss Venezuela 1997

Ramirez was abandoned as a child and grew up in relative poverty.^[2] In 1997, reigning Miss Venezuela Marena Bencomo visited Táchira, where Ramírez approached her for an autograph. Bencomo encouraged her to go to Caracas to compete for the Miss Venezuela 1997 title, where Osmel Sousa appointed her as Miss Táchira.^{[citation needed]}

As the winner of Miss Venezuela 1997, she went on to represent her country at Miss Universe 1998.^{[citation needed]}

Miss Universe 1998

Ramírez was the official representative of Venezuela to Miss Universe 1998, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. She placed first runner-up to Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago.^[3]

Kidnapping

Ramírez was kidnapped for three hours in 2003.^[4]

References

^ Icons of Beauty: Art, Culture, and the Image of Women ISBN 978-0-313-33823-6 p. 233
^ "Venezuelans on the Cutting Edge of Beauty". The Los Angeles Times. January 1, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
^ Miss Universe Coverage 1998^[usurped]
^ Harris, Scott. "Brazilian Police Arrest Suspect in Vitor Belfort's Sister's Murder". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2021-08-03.

External links

Miss Venezuela Official Website

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Marena Bencomo	Miss Universe 1st Runner-Up 1998	Succeeded by Miriam Quiambao
Preceded by Verna Vasquez	Miss Universe - Best in Swimsuit 1998	Succeeded by Diana Nogueira
Preceded by Marena Bencomo	Miss Venezuela 1997	Succeeded by Carolina Indriago
Preceded by Tatiana Irizar Zabala	Miss Táchira 1997	Succeeded by Johanna Grimaldo

Miss Universe 1998 national titleholders

BEL: Sandrine Corman
CAN: Juliana Thiessen-Day
FRA: Sophie Thalmann
HON: Dania Prince
IND: Lymaraina D'Souza
IRE: Andrea Roche
MYS: Sherine Wong
MEX: Katty Fuentes
PAN: Tanisha Drummond
PHI: Jewel May Lobaton
PUR: Joyce Giraud
RUS: Anna Malova
RSA: Kerishnie Naicker
SWE: Jessica Olérs
TTO: Wendy Fitzwilliam
TUR: Asuman Krause
UK : Leilani Dowding
USA: Shawnae Jebbia
VEN: Veruska Ramírez

v t e Venezuelan placements in Miss Universe
Miss Universe	Maritza Sayalero (1979) Irene Sáez (1981) Bárbara Palacios (1986) Alicia Machado (1996) Dayana Mendoza (2008) Stefanía Fernández (2009) Gabriela Isler (2013)
1st runner-up	Mariela Pérez Branger (1967) Judith Castillo (1976) Marena Bencomo (1997) Veruska Ramírez (1998) Claudia Moreno (2000) Mariángel Ruiz (2003) Amanda Dudamel (2022)
2nd runner-up	María Antonieta Cámpoli (1972) Carmen María Montiel (1984) Milka Chulina (1993) Minorka Mercado (1994) Ly Jonaitis (2007) Irene Esser (2012) Sthefany Gutiérrez (2018)
3rd runner-up	Peggy Kopp (1968) Silvia Martínez (1985) Inés María Calero (1987) Eva Ekvall (2001)
4th runner-up	Cynthia Lander (2002) Mónica Spear (2005)
Top 5-6	Jackeline Rodríguez (1991) Carolina Izsak (1992) Denyse Floreano (1995) Carolina Indriago (1999) Keysi Sayago (2017)
Top 10-13	Cristal Montañez (1977) Paola Ruggeri (1983) Yajaira Vera (1988) Eva Lisa Ljung (1989) Andreína Goetz (1990) Migbelis Castellanos (2014) Mariana Jiménez (2015) Diana Silva (2023)
Top 15-16	Susana Duijm (1955) Blanca Heredia (1956) Mercedes Revenga (1964) Bella La Rosa (1970) Vanessa Gonçalves (2011) Luiseth Materán (2021)
Top 20-21	Thalía Olvino (2019)
Unplaced	Sofía Silva (1952) Gisela Bolaños (1953) Consuelo Nouel (1957) Ida Margarita Pieri (1958) Mary Quiróz Delgado (1960) Ana Griselda Vegas (1961) Virginia Bailey (1962) Irene Morales (1963) María De Las Casas (1965) Magaly Castro (1966) María José Yéllici (1969) Jeannette Donzella (1971) Desirée Rolando (1973) Neyla Moronta (1974) Maritza Pineda (1975) Marisol Alfonso (1978) Maye Brandt (1980) Ana Teresa Oropeza (1982) Ana Karina Áñez (2004) Jictzad Viña (2006) Marelisa Gibson (2010) Mariam Habach (2016) Mariángel Villasmil (2020)
Did not compete	Berta Landaeta (1954)
Miss Venezuela Miss Universe Venezuela Miss Universe

v t e Miss Universe Venezuela titleholders
1950s	Sofía Silva (1952) Gisela Bolaños (1953) Berta Landaeta (1954) Susana Duijm (1955) Blanca Heredia (1956) Consuelo Nouel (1957) Ida Margarita Pieri (1958)
1960s	Mary Quiróz Delgado (1960) Ana Griselda Vegas (1961) Virginia Bailey (1962) Irene Morales (1963) Mercedes Revenga (1964) María de las Casas (1965) Magaly Castro (1966) Mariela Pérez Branger (1967) Peggy Kopp (1968) María José Yéllici (1969)
1970s	Bella La Rosa (1970) Jeannette Donzella (1971) María Antonieta Cámpoli (1972) Desireé Rolando (1973) Neyla Moronta (1974) Maritza Pineda (1975) Judith Castillo (1976) Cristal Montañez (1977) Marisol Alfonzo (1978) Maritza Sayalero (1979)
1980s	Maye Brandt (1980) Irene Sáez (1981) Ana Teresa Oropeza (1982) Paola Ruggeri (1983) Carmen María Montiel (1984) Silvia Martínez (1985) Bárbara Palacios (1986) Inés María Calero (1987) Yajaira Vera (1988) Eva Lisa Ljung (1989)
1990s	Andreína Goetz (1990) Jackeline Rodríguez (1991) Carolina Izsak (1992) Milka Chulina (1993) Minorka Mercado (1994) Denyse Floreano (1995) Alicia Machado (1996) Marena Bencomo (1997) Veruska Ramírez (1998) Carolina Indriago (1999)
2000s	Claudia Moreno (2000) Eva Ekvall (2001) Cynthia Lander (2002) Mariángel Ruiz (2003) Ana Karina Áñez (2004) Mónica Spear (2005) Jictzad Viña (2006) Ly Jonaitis (2007) Dayana Mendoza (2008) Stefanía Fernández (2009)
2010s	Marelisa Gibson (2010) Vanessa Gonçalves (2011) Irene Esser (2012) Gabriela Isler (2013) Migbelis Castellanos (2014) Mariana Jiménez (2015) Mariam Habach (2016) Keysi Sayago (2017) Sthefany Gutiérrez (2018) Thalía Olvino (2019)
2020s	Mariángel Villasmil (2020) Luiseth Materán (2021) Amanda Dudamel (2022) Diana Silva (2023) Ileana Márquez (2024)

v t e Miss Venezuela titleholders
1950s	Sofía Silva (1952) Gisela Bolaños (1953) Susana Duijm (1955) Blanca Heredia (1956) Consuelo Nouel (1957) Ida Margarita Pieri (1958)
1960s	Gladys Ascanio (1960) Ana Griselda Vegas (1961) Olga Antonetti (1962) Irene Morales (1963) Mercedes Revenga (1964) María de las Casas (1965) Magaly Castro (1966) Mariela Pérez Branger (1967) Peggy Kopp (1968) María José Yéllici/Marzia Piazza (1969)
1970s	Bella La Rosa (1970) Jeannette Donzella (1971) María Antonieta Cámpoli (1972) Desireé Rolando (1973) Neyla Moronta (1974) Maritza Pineda (1975) Elluz Peraza/Judith Castillo (1976) Cristal Montañez (1977) Marisol Alfonzo (1978) Maritza Sayalero (1979)
1980s	Maye Brandt (1980) Irene Sáez (1981) Ana Teresa Oropeza (1982) Paola Ruggeri (1983) Carmen María Montiel (1984) Silvia Martínez (1985) Bárbara Palacios (1986) Inés María Calero (1987) Yajaira Vera (1988) Eva Lisa Ljung (1989)
1990s	Andreína Goetz (1990) Carolina Izsak (1991) Milka Chulina (1992) Minorka Mercado (1993) Denyse Floreano (1994) Alicia Machado (1995) Marena Bencomo (1996) Veruska Ramirez (1997) Carolina Indriago (1998) Martina Thorogood (1999)
2000s	Eva Ekvall (2000) Cynthia Lander (2001) Mariangel Ruiz (2002) Ana Karina Áñez (2003) Mónica Spear (2004) Jictzad Viña (2005) Ly Jonaitis (2006) Dayana Mendoza (2007) Stefanía Fernández (2008) Marelisa Gibson (2009)
2010s	Vanessa Gonçalves (2010) Irene Esser (2011) Gabriela Isler (2012) Migbelis Castellanos (2013) Mariana Jiménez (2014) Mariam Habach (2015) Keysi Sayago (2016) Sthefany Gutiérrez (2017) Isabella Rodríguez (2018) Thalía Olvino (2019)
2020s	Mariángel Villasmil (2020) Amanda Dudamel (2021) Diana Silva (2022) Ileana Márquez (2023)