Miss Universe 2013: Venezuela celebrates its 7th crown in Russia

Posted by Norman on April 18, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: Maria Gabriela Isler of Venezuela poses after her win at Miss Universe Pageant Competition 2013 on November 9, 2013 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Victor Boyko/WireImage)

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: Gabriela Isler walks the stage as the newly crowned Miss Universe during the Miss Universe Pageant Competition 2013 on November 9, 2013 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: Gabriela Isler and Patricia Yurena Rodriguez await the judges’ decision during the Miss Universe Pageant Competition 2013 on November 9, 2013 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)

Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images

The first time I learned that Miss Universe 2013 will be held in Russia, my level of excitement jacked up several notches. With Bb. Pilipinas celebrating its 50th Anniversary that same year, knowing that Miss Universe Philippines Ariella Arida will fly to Moscow for the competition was more than enough to make me anticipate her mission. And true to my expectations then, she built friendships with some of the important candidates in the batch after she got short-listed all the time with a select group for extra pre-pageant activities. One of them was eventual 1st Runner-Up Patricia Yurena Rodríguez of Spain. And the other one is the big winner herself – Gabriela Isler of Venezuela. All three of them made it to the Top 5, and I was once more hoping that our representative would clinch the elusive 2nd Runner-Up position to make them the Top 3. Nevertheless, I was happy that she was named 3rd Runner-Up – a continuation of our streak in the annual event.

Photo by Alexander Tamargo/WireImage

I have always said that Gabriela Isler is one of my all-time favorite Miss Venezuela winners because she constantly exuded a grounded and accessible self that made her such a charmer who can make anyone feel at ease with her presence. And I bet the MUO had one of the most pleasant working relationships with her as well. After winning in Russia, she seriously buckled up for the demands of the crown. She ticked all the boxes in terms of travel requirements and public appearances.

I was pleased when Gabriela attended the Miss Russia 2014 finals with our very own Miss World 2013 Megan Young (left photo). But I was more pleased when she travelled to the Philippines to raise funds for the Typhoon Yolanda victims – something which brought her even closer to the hearts of the Filipinos.

Long after her reign, Gabriela founded the Universe of Blessings Fund which is a charity organization devoted to female empowerment and counseling. And on the pageant side, she evolved even further when she assumed the National Directorship of Miss Venezuela – a position where she succeeded the popular beauty queen maker, Osmel Sousa.

Last January, 2019, Gabriela was brought to the Philippines once more by Miss World Philippines Organization National Director Arnold Vegafria to check on potential career opportunities in local showbiz. I’m not certain if talks and negotiations prospered, but it was a joy to see her in the flesh once more.

Gabriela attended the Miss Universe 2019 finals in Atlanta, Georgia last December.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 08: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler attends the 2019 Miss Universe Pageant at Tyler Perry Studios on December 08, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

23 comments on “Miss Universe 2013: Venezuela celebrates its 7th crown in Russia”

  1. Patricia Yurena Rodríguez could have been the very first openly gay ms.universe, super beauty! along with Irene Esser, HONEY LEE, Marigona Dragusha, Amelia Vega, Priscila Perales 🙂 but good job Molly 🙂

  2. i like gabriela
    her styling was great except for the make up
    but miss spain was so so so beautiful that year!

    • I agree with you! Her beauty was different and not polarizing. Beauty kung beauty!

  4. BTW , she is my favorite non-Filipina MU along with SA 2017 SA 2019 France 2016 USA 2012 and USA 1997.

  5. I had high hopes for Ariella because there were no standouts during the pageant . Had she articulated her answer better , the judges could have giver Her the crown . But she did not .

    I was happy for Isler though because she seemed very personable . And looking back at MU 2013 pageant night , I realized she was a lot more gorgeous than I previously thought .

    Unfortunately , even winning the top pageant crown is not a guarantee to a successful entertainment career.

    Non-winners seen to be making more impact .

  7. I remember. Madaling araw ako nagising para lang manood sa Star World (Foxlife). am happy with the placement of Ariella. Tas medyo naconfuse pa si Patricia at Gabriella.

  8. Hindi ganun ka facially stunning si Gabriella. Pero there is something in her that is so likeable. Napakaclassy, elegante at sopistikada niya kung ikukumpara mo siya sa mga recent MU winners. Iba yung paraan ng pananalita niya. Napakapino. Kahit yung pilantik ng mga kamay niya. Sa presscon ng MU winners after coronotion very evident yun. Napakanatural ng kilos niya. Parang galing sa buena familia kung kumilos. Napakastylish din niya. Yun lang. Chweh!

  9. TONIGHT at 9:00 o’clock, CNA will FEATURE a DOCUMENTARY on the DARK SIDE of PAGEANTRY in the PHILIPPINES. SINO KAYA ang MATATAMAANG LOCAL STAKEHOLDER/S DITO? THUS I AM INVITING ALL of YOU to WATCH IT & FIND OUT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. THANKS A LOT.

    • Grabe pala ang ginawa ng BB Pilipinas kay Janina San Miguel… Nagsalita na sya about sa pag lockdown sa kanya ng BBP… wala daw computer, phone.. tapos ayaw pa papasukin ang Father and brother nya, Ayaw din ipaalam sa kanya na mamatay na pala lolo nya.. para daw hindi ma distract sa training… Tapos may indecent proposal pa na 3Million for 1 night stand and 25Million, gagawin kang Girlfriend…

      • @ Janina Nayve Which only proves, ANG DAMI’NG LOSE CASH SA PILIPINAS.

        25m, ganu’n-ganu’n lang…. 😦

        Natawa nga ako du’n sa balita’ng pinambili ng shabu ‘yung ibinigay na ayuda ni Lani Mercado for CoV19….. 🙂

        Ta’s, naalala ko, noon on my very first trip to Mindanao – CDO City, to be exact – I was with a pretty and fair-skinned office colleague. We took an FX cab from Lumbia Airport and the apparently Moslem driver told her, “ang ganda mo, puwede ka’ng i-abduct ng rebelde’ng Muslim. Pero huwag ka mag-alala, gagawin ka naman’g prinsesa”.

        My office colleague merely giggled-blushed.

  10. Si Molly yung winner ng MU na di nya alam na sya pala yung declared winner. It took a while or few seconds before she knew it. It was very obvious during the crowning moment.

    • She explained in a video interview before about this confusion. Apparently both Gabriela and Patricia (Spain) did not have enough understanding of English at that time, and that the tradition in Latin countries is to announce the First Runner Up first, whereas in MU the winner is announced first. She realized daw that she was the winner only when Olivia approached her instead of Patricia.

  11. Venezuela 2013 was never in my radar to win the crown that year… it was always either Spain, Philippines, Ukraine , Poland or Great Britain

    biggest surprise was Ecuador who , come to think of it , was quite a stunner , more than Venezuela…

  12. TACKY, that gem-encrusted bustier-bra the winner got from one of the sponsors. 😦

    Herr Blogger, what is the latest on Ariella’s dream to put up her own fragrance-cosmetics company?

    It may be a while before Europe hosts MU again….

    • Salamat sa tanong Flor. Sir Norman. Baka maganda din kung magkaroon ka ng feature kung saan ilan sa mga miss Philippines rep sa miss U ang natupad ang mga piangsasabi sa miss U. Like Ara on her own line of organic fragrances. Pia on being a James bond girl.

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