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