There are the aerobics studios and gyms where exercise is aimed at tightening the backside, the Venezuelan beauty spot. Since 1979 Venezuela has given us three Miss Universes and five Miss Worlds. Last November, 18-year-old Jacqueline Aguilera became the country's latest Miss World. Fashion designer Osmei Souza opened an academy nearly eighteen years ago to create the perfect beauty queen contestant. Today that might include extensive dental work, liposuction and cosmetic surgery. Irene Saez was one of the first students and she was advised to adopt a ‘toned-down' look. When she won Miss Universe aged 19 her hair colour was more natural, the curls more Farrah Fawcett and less of the waterfall they are today. ‘Venezuelan beauty queens get more disciplined, mediagenic preparation than many political candidates,' said a lady who knows. Barbara Palacios was Miss Universe in 1986 and is now the owner of one of her country's largest and most thriving advertising businesses: ‘We're more prepared, more ready for the rigours of public office than people think. Both the beauty business and politics need you to be dedicated and disciplined.' Which is what Irene Saez is. The youngest in a middle-class Spanish family of six children, she disdained the normal beauty queen graduation of becoming a model or television soap opera star.She also turned down a Hollywood screen test (‘It didn't attract me'). During her Miss Universe year she met Presidents Reagan and Mitterand and the then Mrs Thatcher. It seems some filings rubbed off from the Iron Lady. Her reign over she finished her studies in political science at the Central University of Venezuela ( the top public university) and then spent a year in New York as Venezuela 's cultural attache to the U.N. The public in a country where beauty competition rather than football is the national game (even small town contests get bigger crowds than soccer matches) were somewhat dismayed. But Saez led a high profile, society whirl of a life. It always seemed she was waiting for office. She'd kiss babies or play football (in high heels) with the street kids. Meanwhile, the woes of Venezuela grew. Carlos Andres Perez became President for the second time in 1988. In the ‘Seventies he had enjoyed the oil bonanza including increased production and a quadrupled price following the Arab-Israeli war. He spent like a lottery winner. It was El Dorado . It was ‘I, Claudius' during his second term. World oil prices dropped and so did Venezuela 's ability to pay off foreign debts. Increased prices at home started protests and then riots and civil disturbances ran on for three years. All the time Irene Saez was studying and waiting. In February, 1992, Perez escaped just as tanks burst into his Palace during a military coup. After much killing and wounding the Government regained control. Eight months later junior air force officers attempted another coup. It was movie material. War ‘planes sped between Caracas skyscrapers and bombed the Presidential Palace. The Army supported Perez and after dozens of deaths ‘order' was restored. Perez was then caught up in a corruption scandal using millions of the country's defence budget to make himself $11 million dollars. Irene Saez, a devout Roman Catholic who attends Mass frequently and works with a church group, says God led her to try and help her country:' The Father is leading me. I am here to do his work. It is my vocation. I felt I could use my fame to do good. With all that was happening I could not stand by and just watch events. I had to be part of them.' |
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