Mariángel Ruiz Torrealba (born 7 January 1980) is a Venezuelan actress, tv host, singer, fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder. Winning Miss Venezuela 2002 as Miss Aragua, she then placed 1st runner-up at Miss Universe 2003.

Mariángel Ruiz
Ruiz in 2020
Born
Mariángel Ruiz Torrealba

(1980-01-07) 7 January 1980 (age 44)
Occupation(s)talk show hostess, solo singer
Spouse
(m. 2006; div. 2008)
Children1
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Venezuela 2002
Years active2002–present
Major
competition(s)
Miss Venezuela 2002
(Winner)
Miss Universe 2003
(1st Runner-Up)
Websitewww.mariangelruiz.com.ve

Pageant career

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Miss Venezuela 2002

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Ruiz tried twice for the Miss Venezuela title, the first time in 1998 when she did not place in the top 120 candidates. In 2002, she won the preliminary casting in Maracay, becoming Miss Aragua 2002. Ruiz won the pageant, which for the first time was judged entirely by former Miss Venezuela titleholders.[1]

Miss Universe 2003

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One 9 May 2003, the Miss Venezuela Organization announced that Ruiz would not compete at Miss Universe.[2] This was due to strict foreign exchange controls imposed by then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to prevent capital flight, which made the organization unable to send Ruiz to Panama. However, Venezuelan businessman Gustavo Cisneros provided funding for Ruiz to compete in Panama.[3] Mireya Moscoso, then-President of Panama, had urged Cisneros to ensure that a Venezuelan candidate would compete at Miss Universe.[4]

Work on TV

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Ruiz has appeared on several TV shows of Venevisión. Her main credits include:

  • Bailando con las Estrellas (2005), as Contestant
  • Portada's (2005–present), as Hostess
  • Cosita Rica (2003), as Alegria Mendez
  • Que Locura (2003), as Guest Hostess
  • La viuda joven (2011) as Inmaculada Von Parker
  • Corazón Esmeralda (2014) as Marina Lozano / Graciela Beltrán

She has also done specials for the Miss Venezuela and Mister Venezuela pageants. In October 2005, she started filming the show Bailando con las Estrellas (Dancing with the Stars), which is similar to several other shows in other countries with the same format. Ruiz was threatened twice: she made it through on the first one, but on the second threat she got eliminated.

Personal life

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She was born in San Juan de los Morros, Guárico. In December 2005, she announced her marriage and pregnancy to Major League Baseball center fielder Tony Álvarez. Their civil wedding was the same month, and their religious wedding was held on 28 January 2006. Ruiz gave birth to a girl named Mariángel Victoria, in August of the same year.[5] The two divorced in 2008.

Publicity

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Ruiz has worked with several companies to promote their products, those include:

Modeling

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In November 2008, Ruiz posed for the cover of the prestigious Venezuelan Urbe Bikini magazine.

References

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  1. ^ Rafel (2017-01-25). "History of a miss: Mariangel Ruiz". Primera Emisión (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  2. ^ "No Venezuela in Miss Universe Contest". Huron Daily Tribune. Bad Axe, Michigan. 15 May 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Miss Venezuela hace realidad su sueño de competir en Miss Universo" [Miss Venezuela makes her dream of competing in Miss Universe come true]. Diario ABC (in Spanish). 21 May 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Venezuela will not miss Miss Universe". BBC News. 20 May 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Misses del Mundo". Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss Universe 1st runner-up
2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by Miss Venezuela
2002
Succeeded by
  Ana Karina Áñez
Preceded by Miss Aragua
2002
Succeeded by
Aura Avila