| "> | | | | thousands of spectators from Asia and other |
| Chile -more than twice the size of Arizona- is the | | | | countries.Singapore is the smallest country ever to hold |
| home of beautiful girls : Daniela Benavente, Marianne | | | | the Miss Universe pageant, with a size of 270 sq mi |
| Muller, Margot Montt, Lucia Santa Cruz, Kenita Larrain, | | | | and a population of 4.5 million people. Egypt made its |
| Jenny Purtho Arap, Daniela Campos and Cecilia | | | | first appearance as a participating country at the Miss |
| Bolocco. Already a folk hero in Chile, Cecilia | | | | Universe. Miss Honduras, Francia Tatiana Reyes, had |
| Boloccobecame a legend when she won the Miss | | | | taken the award of Miss Amity and Miss Brazil, |
| Universe pageant in 1987.Since 1990, Cecilia has been | | | | Jacqueline Ribeiro Meirelles, won the Best National |
| called "the most famous Miss Universe in the world". | | | | Costume title. |
| She has won the hearts of pageant fans from Mexico | | | | For many reasons, Miss Colombia, Maria Patricia |
| to Santiago. Who is she really? | | | | Lopez Ruiz, was considered to have a good chance |
| Along with the writer Gabriela Mistral (Nobel Prize for | | | | to win the title.Patricia had won two international |
| Literature 1945), she's one of the most admired | | | | awards: Miss South America and Miss Photogenic. |
| women in Chile. The second of four children in a | | | | There were 12 judges: Deborah Carthy-Deu (former |
| working-class family of European descent, Cecilia | | | | Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Universe), Neil Hickey |
| Carolina Bolocco Fonck was born on May 19, 1965 to | | | | (American journalist), Jose Greco (Spanish dancer), |
| Enzo and Rose Marie Fonck de Bolocco. She studied | | | | David Niven Jr (American actor), Charlotte Rae |
| civil engineering at the University of Santiago and then | | | | Lubotsky (American actress and singer), Chu San Goh |
| studied costume design at INCA-CEA Institute. | | | | (choreographer from Asia), Peter Graves (American |
| Renowned for her diplomatic skills and culture, Cecilia | | | | film and television actor), Paul-Louis Orrier (French |
| developed a passion for dance at very early age and | | | | fashion designer), Arnold Kopelson (American film |
| became a professional dancer, winning many titles. | | | | producer), Nancy Dussault (American singer and |
| She never lost her love for dancing. Her colleagues | | | | actress), Yue-Sai Kan (Chinese-American |
| found her to be energetic and cooperative. | | | | entrepreneur), Isabel Sanford (American actress). |
| In the mid-1980s, she also worked as a professional | | | | Unlike other Miss Universes from Latin America |
| model for magazines. Cecilia was one of Chile's most | | | | -Norma Beatriz Nolan, Barbara Palacios, Dayanara |
| popular fashion models. She was approached by a | | | | Torres, Amelia Vega-, Miss Chile 1987 did not have the |
| Chilean journalist, who advised her to take up modelling. | | | | support of judges from Latin America. Deborah |
| During this period of time, she suffered a tragedy | | | | Carthy-Deu had given her support to Laurie Tamara |
| when her brother Rodrigo died suddenly. This was a | | | | Simpson Rivera (Miss Puerto Rico 1987). Some |
| terrible experience for her, which marked she for ever. | | | | countries have been benefited by having many judges. |
| On April 20, 1987 Cecilia was elected Miss Chile | | | | In the past century; Venezuela has had many judges in |
| Universe in Santiago, succeeding Mariana Villasante, | | | | Miss Universe: Carolina Herrera (fashion designer/ 1984 |
| one of the most beautiful girls from South America. | | | | & 1997), Irene Saez Conde (Miss Universe/ 1983 |
| Like Barbara Palacios Teyde (Miss Venezuela and | | | | & 1995), Maria Conchita Alonso Bustillo (singer |
| Miss South America-Universe), Christy Fichtner (Miss | | | | & actress/ 1993 & 1998), Lupita Ferrer |
| USA and Miss Texas) and Susanna Huckstep (Miss | | | | (actress/1986), Jose Luis Rodriguez (singer/ 1991) and |
| Italy and Miss Photogenic), Mariana was one of the | | | | Barbara Palacios (Miss Universe/ 1988). |
| favourites to win the Miss Universe title in Panama | | | | Certainly, Cecilia had won the title and the special |
| City. | | | | admiration of the Asian public. The audience had all |
| Unlike Claudia van Sint Jan (Miss Chile 1985) and | | | | eyes on Chilean Cecilia. It was the first appearance for |
| Mariana, Miss Chile 1987 competed at the Miss South | | | | Chile in the finals. She wore a spectacular white gown |
| America. Many of the delegates in each contest went | | | | designed by Ruben Campos. |
| on to their year's Miss Universe pageant. Before | | | | From 1990 to 2005, she was an internationally famous |
| winning the Miss Universe pageant, Barbara Palacios, | | | | Latin American entertainer. Cecilia is a two-time Emmy |
| Miss Venezuela, won the Miss South America title in | | | | Award-winning journalist and producer.In 1993, Cecilia |
| 1986. Unfortunately, Cecilia did not qualify for the | | | | Bolocco was one of the hots at the Miss Universe in |
| semi-finals at the 1987 Miss South America in | | | | Mexico City. She said: "Really gives me great pride to |
| Cartagena, Colombia.Curiously, she also did not win | | | | be here..." Three years later, she was one of the |
| any award. Patricia Arce Rocabado (Miss Bolivia) was | | | | members of the panel of judges of Miss Universe in |
| Miss Photogenic and Maria Victoria Zangaro (Miss | | | | Las Vegas, USA. |
| Uruguay) was Miss Congeniality.Then, she immediately | | | | Until their separation in April 2007, Bolocco lived with |
| travelled to Singapore City to take part in Miss | | | | her husband, Carlos Menem -ex president of |
| Universe pageant. | | | | Argentina-, whom she married in 2001,and their son, |
| On May 26, 1987 Cecilia was crowned Miss Universe | | | | Maximo Saul Menem Bolocco, who was born in 2003, |
| in Singapore City. There were celebrations for Chile | | | | in Santiago (Chile). She met Menem in 1999 when she |
| -from Arica to Chiloe-,after Cecilia Bolocco won the | | | | was a successful journalist After the marriage broke |
| title. The 35th Miss Universe began with a spectacular | | | | up, Cecilia became a fashion designer. |
| opening ceremony at World Trade Center in front of | | | | |