Veruska Ramírez

Veruzhka Tatiana Ramírez is a Venezuelan beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Venezuela 1997, and was first runner-up at Miss Universe 1998.^[1]

Veruzhka Ramírez
Born	Veruzhka Tatiana Ramírez Táriba, Táchira, Venezuela
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[citation needed]
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Miss Táchira 1997 Miss Venezuela 1997
Hair color	Light Brown[citation needed]
Eye color	Green[citation needed]
Major competition(s)	Miss Venezuela 1997 (winner) (Most Beautiful Eyes) Miss Universe 1998 (1st runner-Up) (Best in Swimsuit)

Miss Venezuela 1997

Ramirez was abandoned as a child and grew up in relative poverty.^[2] In 1997, reigning Miss Venezuela Marena Bencomo visited Táchira, where Ramírez approached her for an autograph. Bencomo encouraged her to go to Caracas to compete for the Miss Venezuela 1997 title, where Osmel Sousa appointed her as Miss Táchira.^{[citation needed]}

As the winner of Miss Venezuela 1997, she went on to represent her country at Miss Universe 1998.^{[citation needed]}

Miss Universe 1998

Ramírez was the official representative of Venezuela to Miss Universe 1998, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. She placed first runner-up to Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago.^[3]

Kidnapping

Ramírez was kidnapped for three hours in 2003.^[4]

See also

• List of kidnappings
• List of solved missing person cases