AFP: Venezuelan beauty wins Miss Universe crown

NHA TRANG, Vietnam (AFP) — Miss Venezuela took the crown and Miss USA took a tumble before up to one billion television viewers at the Miss Universe pageant held in Vietnam on Monday.

Venezuela's Dayana Mendoza, 22, burst into tears when the presenter, US talk show host Jerry Springer, announced she had beaten finalists from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Russia.

The 178-centimetre (five foot 10) beauty, the favourite of pageant bloggers and online bookmakers, clinched the diamond-studded gold crown after answering a question on the difference between men and women.

"Men think that the fastest way to go to a point is to go straight," explained the trilingual aspiring interior designer. "Women know that the faster way to go to a point is to go to the curves."

Mendoza, who was once kidnapped in her home country, later issued a call for an end to violence in the world.

"The kidnapping happened a year and a half ago," she said at a post-pageant press conference, answering questions in both English and Spanish.

"It's something that happens in my country. You don't even have to have money to be kidnapped ... That's why I wanted to raise my voice and tell the world that violence is not the answer."

AFP: Venezuelan beauty wins Miss Universe crown

Blogged with the Flock Browser