Venezuelan National Steps Down as Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2023
Venezuelan national Mileidy Materano has decided to step down as Trinidad and Tobago’s representative for the Miss Grand International 2023 pageant, which was scheduled for October 25 in Vietnam.
Materano’s initial appointment had faced strong public criticism, particularly on social media, largely due to her non-Trinidadian nationality and the requirement for a translator during her public speaking engagements.
In a press conference held at Regis Chambers in Port of Spain, Materano, speaking through her lawyers, cited “recent developments” as the reason for her resignation. One of her lawyers, Wayne Sturge, explained that Materano discovered she would be required to self-fund her trip to the pageant or risk losing her title. This financial stipulation ultimately prompted her decision to relinquish the crown. Sturge emphasized that her decision was not influenced by any other factors, and Materano expressed her regret for not being informed about this requirement in advance.
Materano was advised by her legal counsel not to answer media inquiries due to potential legal concerns surrounding the situation.
