•

• How would you define "beauty?"
As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What is physically beautiful to me may not be so beautiful to the next person. That is why I feel beauty is something from within. It's how good you feel about yourself, and projecting that to others, how you carry yourself and how you make others feel in your presence.

• What were your reasons for joining the Señorita Panama 2006 pageant?
I have been a fan of beauty pageants since I was a little girl. In my household, the biggest television event after the World Cup of Soccer was the Miss Universe Pageant. Growing up, I was a very shy, introverted girl, and I would only dream of being able to glide across a stage with such poise and confidence as the girls I saw on my television screen. Enlisting in the Miss Panama pageant was something family and friends would constantly mention, but I thought I didn't have the courage to do. I also had another goal which was very important for me to complete, and that was graduating from college. After graduating from Florida State University in the United States, it was time for me to decide what to do next in my life, and that is when I felt I had the confidence, and mind-set to join the Miss Panama pageant, which I knew would open up a world of opportunities for me, and would teach me a great deal.

• How were you elected as Miss Panama Universe? Describe the judging process.
After being chosen as 1 of 15 semifinalists, there were 3 months of preparations for the final of Señorita Panama. It was 2 days of competition. The first day being the private interview with judges, which consisted of being interviewed by a panel of 7 judges for approximately 10 minutes, and then being judged in swimsuits. The second day, there was a second panel of 7 different judges. We had the swimsuit competition, evening gown competition, and the final question for all 15 semifinalists. The scores from the first panel of judges from the private interview were added to the scores of the second panel of judges from the actual day of the event, and the top 5 scores were taken as those of the 5 finalists. From those 5 finalists, the judges voted on who they wanted to be Miss Panama World and Miss Panama Universe.

• What do you think are your qualities that helped you earn the judges' approval & the crown?
More than anything, I was always myself. I never pretended to be anyone else or try to do things that other girls had done, or act like other people would have wanted me to act. I have a personality that makes me unique and I wanted the judges to see that. My dedication and discipline were also an important factor, because the judges were able to see the result of those qualities in my body, and how I carried myself in the judges interview and on stage, and I think that said a lot about how hard I would be willing to work to represent my country in the Miss Universe pageant. And lastly, my inner peace, a lot of people commented that I looked so full of peace on the day of the final. I was just reflecting what I felt on the inside, and being satisfied and proud with the hard work I had put in the past 3 months prior to the pageant.

• Tell us about your preparations for the Miss Universe contest.
Well, it has been a few months since I started preparing for the Miss Universe contest, it's going very well. My preparation consists of training at the gym everyday, practicing runway and projection, tourism courses, etiquette classes, dance lessons, hair and make-up lessons. We're trying to cover every angle possible, and right now we're just fine tuning some things, and are on the process of selecting the wardrobe to take to Los Angeles.

• Can you tell something that is so interesting or unique about you?
Something unique about me is that I love dressing up being a beauty queen, but I also love getting down and dirty on a soccer field! As much as I love blowing kisses and waving, I also love pumping my fist and jumping in the air after scoring a goal! It's incredible to be able to do both roles, and have little girls admire you for it, and inspire them to know that you can be feminine and still participate in sports, and change the opinion of those who think otherwise.

• Any beauty queen/s that you really admire? Why?
I really admire Barbara Palacios. She is a beautiful, strong, spiritual woman with such charisma. She has a certain way about her when she speaks, that she can light up a room. She is always very poised and very expressive with her eyes and transmits so much peace.

• Describe your fashion sense and style.
I would describe my fashion sense and style as very relaxed and uncomplicated. I'm a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, but when it's time to dressing up, I like looking simple and elegant. I also try to look for unique pieces of clothing that will stand-out to combine with more simple things. 

• How will you describe your country to your co-candidates at Miss Universe? 
I would describe Panama as an amazing country with so much to offer. We've got gorgeous beaches, lush mountains, a cosmopolitan capital city, and a combination of cultures to satisfy all of your gastronomical needs, and that's just the beginning. Most importantly I would describe Panama as a country with the warmest, joyful, carefree and inviting citizens, who want visitors to have the best time possible and discover all that Panama has to offer.

• What is your opinion on activists' point of view that exposure of too much skin in the swimsuit competition disrespects women?
I don't believe it disrespects women, as long as they themselves feel comfortable exposing that skin, and showing how hard they have been working the months prior to the contest. I know I wouldn't feel disrespected standing on stage in a bikini, on the contrary I would feel happy to have people admire my discipline and hard work!

• Supposed there is a Genie who happens to be mad at you for a wrong deed committed and his punishment is to turn you into an animal for a year. You can't plead to alter his decision but you get to decide what type of animal you would become, what creature would you choose and why?
I would choose to be a bird so that I could fly all over the world and see places I have only dreamed of. It would be incredible to have that bird's eye view and perspective from way up in the clouds, and see how vast the world really is.

• If it were your last day on earth, what would you eat & why?
Wow... since I'm on a diet right now, I would probably eat a huge burrito from Moe's, and finish off with my own combination of ice cream and toppings from Cold Stone, my absolutely two favorite places to eat when I was in college.

• Do you have a motto or personal quote that you live by?
"God makes everything happen for a reason."

• Aside from winning your title, what's the best thing that has ever happened to you?
Having the opportunity to study at Florida State University, and to be on my own during those years because I learned and grew so much that I don't think I would be the same person today without that experience. I'm very grateful.

• Do you think winning a beauty pageant is really important? Tell us about your responsibilities as Miss Panama titleholder.
Some would say there are probably more important things in life but I think winning a beauty pageant is really important if for you personally it's something important that you value as such, and you have established it as a goal you want to fulfill, as was the case for me. It's very important and a great privilege to have the name of your country placed across your chest and to carry that name to a Miss Universe competition. My responsibilities as Miss Panama include preparing myself to the fullest for the Miss Universe contest, being a type of ambassador of my country not only at the Miss Universe contest but also throughout the year of my reign and by being an example to my fellow Panamanians. My other responsibilities are assisting events that occur around the country, and of course lending my image but most importantly my voice to organizations here in Panama that are dedicated to helping others such as Nutrehogar, and PROBIDSIDA.

• Why do you want do be crowned Miss Universe and how would you define the title in your own terms?
I want to be crowned Miss Universe because it's a dream that I've had since I was a little girl; to wear the name of Panama and make the entire country proud to see me up on that stage, and spend a year of my life traveling around the world, meeting people from all walks of life, and most importantly dedicating that year to helping others, and bringing smiles to thousands of peoples' faces. The title of Miss Universe is being not only an ambassador of beauty but an ambassador of the hearts of all those people that look up to you and admire you and the work that you carry out as Miss Universe and it is an honor to have the opportunity to hold that title. 

• What should pageant experts, your fellowmen, fans and beauty watchers expect from Miss Panama at Miss Universe 2006 pageant?
They should expect a lot, because I expect a lot from myself. As with any goal that I dedicate myself to achieving I give it my heart and soul, but I can only go as far as God allows me to go. 

• Finally, leave a message for your fans, supporters and the readers of Missosology.
Thank you to everyone who supports me, your kind and positive words are the fuel that keeps me going with my head held high. Los Angeles here comes Miss Panama!