Marisol Malaret

Marisol Malaret Contreras (October 13, 1949 – March 19, 2023) was a Puerto Rican television host, model, and beauty queen who won Miss Universe 1970, becoming the first Caribbean and Puerto Rican woman to be crowned Miss Universe.[1][2][3]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Malaret and the second or maternal family name is Contreras.
Marisol Malaret
Malaret in 1970 visiting President Nixon in the Oval Office
Born
Marisol Malaret Contreras

(1949-10-13)October 13, 1949
Utuado, Puerto Rico
DiedMarch 19, 2023(2023-03-19) (aged 73)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Spouse(s)Butch James (divorced)
Corky Stroman (divorced)
Frank Cué
Children1
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Puerto Rico 1970
Miss Universe 1970
Hair colorRed
Eye colorBlue
Major
competition(s)		Miss Puerto Rico 1970
(Winner)
Miss Universe 1970
(Winner)

Biography

Malaret was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico on October 13, 1949.[4] She started to work from an early age due to the death of her father and chronic illness of her mother. She was reportedly persuaded by Puerto Rican make-up artist Carmen Andino to compete in the Miss Puerto Rico pageant, then owned by Puerto Rican modeling guru and businesswoman Anna Santisteban. Malaret's strong will, ethics, and beauty made her a crowd favorite in the local contest. Before winning, she worked as an executive secretary for the Puerto Rico Telephone Company.

Malaret had one brother Jesús, and five half-siblings Joseph, Alicia, Rita, Antonio, and Raul. Her parents were Lydia Contreras and José Antonio Malaret. She was married three times; to former male model Butch James, musician Corky Stroman, with whom she had her only child Sasha,[5][6] and Cuban-born engineer Frank Cué.

Malaret died from complications of a pulmonary condition[7] on March 19, 2023, at age 73.[8]

Miss Universe 1970

The auburn-haired, blue-green-eyed[9] Malaret won the title on July 11, 1970, at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida.[10] Her victory also made her the first Puerto Rican and the first Caribbean to win Miss Universe. Additionally, she obtained Puerto Rico's first ever placement at Miss Universe since its inception in 1952 and was the first Puerto Rican woman to win a major international pageant.

After her win in the Miss Universe pageant, she was honored with what was considered until then one of the biggest welcomings ever at San Juan's Isla Verde International Airport. The New York Times reported that "50,000 turned out in San Juan to honor a Queen."[11]

She was also invited to the White House for a visit in the Oval Office with then-President Richard Nixon.[12]

Malaret's face graced the covers of many international and Puerto Rican entertainment and gossip magazines, such as Vea, Teve Guía, Artistas, Estrellas, and its smaller version Estrellitas. She participated in many advertising campaigns, and performed occasionally as a motivational speaker to young women and aspiring business leaders.

See also

References
  1. VOCERO, Redacción, EL. "Marisol Malaret también pide la renuncia de Ricardo Rosselló". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-04-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Venes, Pablo. "Marisol Malaret envía contundente mensaje a Rosselló". Activo Puerto Rico. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  3. "Marisol Malaret se despide de su amigo Rafael". Primera Hora. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  4. "👑Recordando a Marisol Malaret". Hello Foros - La Comunidad en Español más Popular de los Latinos (in Spanish). 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  5. "Marisol Malaret ahora es la "Abuela Sol"". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  6. VOCERO, Por Yomaris Rodríguez, EL. "Marisol se despide con estrella". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-04-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Williams, Alex (23 March 2023). "Marisol Malaret, First Puerto Rican Miss Universe, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  8. "Fallece Marisol Malaret, la primera boricua en ganar Miss Universe". Telemundo PR. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  9. "What Miss Universe Looked Like the Year You Were Born". ca.style.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  10. "Miss Universe Organization Press Site". press.missuniverse.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  11. "50,000 Turn Out in San Juan to Honor a Queen". The New York Times. 1970-07-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  12. "First PR Miss Universe Marisol Malaret dies at 73". www.sanjuandailystar.com/. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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