Mariana Downing, representing the province of Sánchez Ramírez, was officially crowned the Miss Dominican Republic Universe 2023.
The 27-year-old half-Dominican and half-British beauty pageant will now travel to El Salvador and try to win a second Miss Universe title for the Caribbean island.
Downing pursued her modeling career in Miami, where she signed with the prestigious Wilhelmina agency and collaborated with renowned brands such as Calvin Klein and Chanel.Despite her Dominican and English heritage, Mariana Downing does not speak Spanish fluently.
This became evident during the question section of the gala, where she responded in English. While her choice of language raised eyebrows on social media, her eloquent response was widely praised.Una publicación compartida por Estrellasyredes.net (@estrellasyredes)Many Dominicans believe she does not represent the country due to her inability to speak Spanish.
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