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Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark has been crowned as the Miss Universe 2024, succeeding Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua. This year's competition, held at the Mexico City Arena, featured a diverse group of finalists, including two Latinas in the Top 5: Miss Mexico, who finished as the second runner-up, and Miss Venezuela, Ileana Márquez Pedroza, who placed fourth.
While the spotlight was on the crowning moment, online discussions took a different turn, with fans voicing their frustration over what they perceived as a critical factor that hindered Miss Venezuela's performance: her interpreter.
A Lost Message During the Q&A Rounds
Márquez Pedroza relied on an interpreter during the two crucial Q&A rounds. Unfortunately, this decision backfired. In the first round, the interpreter delivered the wrong question, causing Márquez to give an answer unrelated to the topic. The miscommunication immediately drew reactions from the audience and fans online.
In the second round, the interpreter failed to accurately convey Márquez's intended message, leaving her response unclear and less impactful. Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with comments ranging from playful jokes about the misinterpretation to more serious criticisms of the interpreter and the fairness of the process.
Miss Venezuela Speaks Out
In a candid interview with influencer Pedro Figueira, known as "La Divaza," Márquez explained her side of the story. She shared that during the first round, Judge Margaret Gardiner asked about the qualities of the perfect woman today, but the translator gave her an entirely different question.
"The translator told me, 'What was the most important thing that had happened to you today?'" Márquez said, smiling despite the controversy. She revealed that she had insisted on having a translator because she wanted her message to be clear and resonate globally.
Despite the mishap, Márquez handled the situation with poise, finishing in fourth place—a commendable achievement given the circumstances.
Fans React to the Controversy
Social media was abuzz with reactions to the translation issues. Some fans criticized Márquez for not speaking English, with comments like "Hence the importance of learning English" gaining traction. Others, however, defended her, emphasizing that Miss Universe is an international platform where fluency in English should not be mandatory.
A significant portion of fans expressed outrage at the perceived injustice, saying, "They did Miss Venezuela dirty" and blaming the translator for hindering Márquez's chances. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the role of interpreters in international competitions and whether better protocols should be in place to ensure fairness.
Moving Forward
While the controversy overshadowed part of the evening, Márquez remains proud of her performance and the representation she brought to Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Victoria Kjær Theilvig's win as Miss Universe 2024 marks a historic moment for Denmark, and the competition's focus now shifts to how it can improve processes for future editions to prevent similar issues.