IMAGE | Reuters
There will be no Miss Puerto Rico at this year's Miss World competition.
According to a news report on Puerto Rico's news site Primera Hora, Puerto Rico will not be sending a delegate for this year's Miss World pageant as two powerful hurricanes Irma and Maria ripped throughout the country.
Ana Avilés who is in charge of Miss World Puerto Rico Organization has released a press statement about the sad news (google translated) :
"With deep regret, we want to notify you that this year the Miss World Organization of Puerto Rico will not send representatives to the international competition. Determinants were unexpected events. The international event changed its original date and advanced it for the month of November. Our date for the celebration of the final of the local contest on September 13, 2017, was postponed by Hurricane Irma and on September 20 by Hurricane Maria. This last event of natural force had catastrophic results for our country without communication made it impossible to complete responsibly the selection of a representative to the Miss World international contest for this year"
"After consulting with the international organization, we believe it is correct for our candidates, our team and our country in these difficult times. To this day we can not make a calendar to complete the events of our 2017 event. Therefore the winner of the contest will be our representative of Miss World 2018."
Aviles added that the reigning Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico will be the best representative of the islands.
"She will be our flag, especially at this time when our country is going through the worst period of our history. We will unite the hands of each of the members of Miss World Puerto Rico and begin to work for the restoration of our country. Hoping in God that Puerto Rico will rise and we can shine again in Miss World 2018. "
Puerto Rico debuted in Miss World in 1959, then was absent from 1960 to 1969.
The US territory did not compete also in Miss World from 1986 to 1988.
source http://www.primerahora.com/entretenimiento/reinas/nota/nohabrarepresentacionboricuaenmissmundo-1250189/