Guinea-Bissau’s candidate for the Miss Universe pageant to be held in India risks not taking part and the country could be excluded from the competition due to the lack of typical costumes, cultural promoter Karel Batista told Luse this Monday.
Mirla Ferreira Dabo, the reigning Miss Guinea-Bissau, was due to board in Lisbon on Sunday but is still in the Portuguese capital awaiting a response from Bissau authorities after being informed by the Miss Universe Organization that she must take several typical outfits. countries.
According to Karel Batista, Mirla is “almost desperate” because for now she is only guaranteed a round-trip ticket from Lisbon to New Delhi, but she will have to carry “at least five suitcases.”
“The Miss Universe competition should take place from February 19 to March 10, and all candidates must wear typical costumes of their countries during these days, so Mirla will have to wear our costumes,” noted Karel Batista.
Guinea-Bissau registered for the annual event through the private organization that runs the Miss pageant in the country, paying the equivalent of five thousand US dollars (4,643 euros).
The candidate for the competition, which will be held in the city of Dumbuya, has already received accreditation, the cultural propagandist noted.
If the event is missed, the country will be suspended from subsequent competitions of this kind for a period of at least five years, Batista noted, citing the competition regulations.
The promoter said he tried “several times” to contact Guinea’s Ministry of Culture but was always told there were no funds to support a candidate’s participation in the Miss Universe pageant.
The Guinean cultural figure noted that at the last minute the person in charge of the country, whom he did not want to name, “promised to solve the Mirla problem” today “in his personal capacity.”
Lusa submitted a request to the Ministry of Culture, but has not yet received a response.