The Señorita Panamá is a national beauty pageant in Panama. As of the 2024 edition, Señorita Panamá winners represent Panamá in Miss Universe. The Miss Panama brand started in 1952, when the Panamanian Institute of Tourism received an invitation from Miss Universe to send a representative. In 1975, the Señorita Panamá name was used for the first time, reverting to Miss Panama in 1976. In 1982, Señorita Panamá was created by RPC Channel 4 as an alternative to send its winners to the Miss World contest in London. These pageants, along with smaller pageants such as Miss International Panamá and Miss World Panamá celebrated to select delegates for international representations.
History The National Beauty Pageant was known as "Miss Panama" until 1975, when organizers decided to use "Señorita Panamá", a brand that lasted only one year. Then, in 1982, "Señorita Panamá" was created as a rival of "Miss Panama" which sent its winners to Miss Universe. The "Miss Panama" competition was then discontinued in 1988.
After 28 years, the Señorita Panamá pageant, organized by Medcom Corporation, was discontinued. A new organization took over in 2011 rebranding the competition as "Miss Panama", a name that had not been in use since 1987. (not to be confused with Señorita Panamá or Bellezas Panamá).
After five years of the Miss Panama pageant under the direction of Marisela Moreno, Medcom Corporation lost the franchise of Miss Universe in 2016, and the opportunity to select the candidate for this contest. César Anel Rodríguez and Justine Pasek acquire the rights of the title Señorita Panamá pageant and select the candidate who represent the country in Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Supranational and Miss Grand International. Justine Pasek left the organization in December 2017 to focus on family. In 2022 Rodriguez lost the franchise of Miss Universe and re-acquired in 2024.
From 2022 to 2023 a new organization took over the organization rebranding the competition as "Miss Panama" again selecting the candidate to represent Panama en Miss Universe under the direction of Ricardo Canto.
International participation
Panama has been represented in various international pageants, including the biggest names, such as Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International.
The country has won two major international titles: Miss International 1998 and Miss Universe 2002. Lía Victoria Borrero González won the Miss International 1998 while Justine Pasek, who represented Panama in Miss Universe 2002, won by default when she replaced the dethroned winner Oxana Fedorova of Russia.
Panama has not won the Miss World title. The country has four semifinalists and two finalist in Miss World with Lorelay de la Ossa in Miss World 1979, Marissa Burgos Canalias in Miss World 1983, María Lorena Orillac Giraldo in Miss World 1986, Nadege Herrera in Miss World 2009, Maricely González in Miss World 2012 and Solaris Barba in Miss World 2018 also winning for first time for Panama the title of Miss World America. The country's highest placement in Miss Earth was achieved by Stefanie de Roux who finished as top eight finalist in the Miss Earth 2006
From 2011 to 2015, the Miss Universe Panamá and Miss World Panamá were selected by Miss Panamá while Miss Earth Panamá and Miss Internacional Panamá were selected in the Bellezas Panamá pageant organized by Tania Hyman's Models and Talents. However, in 2012, the four titles (Miss Panama Universe, Miss Panama World, Miss Panama Earth, and Miss Panama International) were selected by one organization called, ORGANIZACIÓN MISS PANAMA. This year Miss Panama had two presidents Marisela Moreno and Tania Hyman.
Panama was represented in the international pageants of 2026/27 by the following representatives: Miss Universe: Gabriela Lineth González del Valle Miss World: Madeline Elena Miller Vergara Miss International: Carmen Johany Quintero Pittí Miss Earth: Nicole Castillero González
States, capital and regions Although women from all over the country have been competing in the pageant for decades, 2011 was the first time in history that the contestants represented Panama's provinces and regions. The Miss Panama competition distributed its 20 finalists in the following regions:
Official states (10)
Official regions (7) Panamá Este (east side (Panama state)) Panamá Norte (north side (Panama state)) Chiriquí Occidente (occidental side (Chiriquí state)) Comarcas (indigenous region of Panama) Portobelo (historical district of the Colón state) Atlantic Coast Pacific Coast Canal Coast
Official Island (7) Barro Colorado Coiba Contadora Flamenco Isla del Rey Isla San José Taboga
Regional rankings Titles State Years29Panamá Centro9Los Santos5Veraguas3Chiriquí3Herrera3Colón2Darién2Coclé1Riviera del Canal20241Panamá Este20201Flamenco20191Comarcas20181Contadora20170Bocas del Toro0Panamá Oeste0Chiriquí Occidente
The regional ranking is established according to the state of origin or representation of the miss (Miss Universe) and the year they won the title.
Titleholders
The following women have been crowned Miss Panamá. Year Miss Panama State Venue 1952 Elzibir Gisela Malek Coclé Hotel El Panamá 1953 Emita Arosemena† Los Santos 1954-1963 Liliana Torre Panamá Centro 1964 Maritza Montilla Coclé 1965 Sonia Inés Ríos† Colón 1966 Dionisia Broce Los Santos 1967-1969 Mirna Norma Castillero Herrera 1970 Berta López Herrera Veraguas 1971-1972 Gladys Isaza Panamá Centro 1973 Janine Lizuaín Panamá Centro 1974 Jazmín Nereida Panay Panamá Centro 1975 Anina Horta Torrijos Panamá Centro 1976 Carolina Maria Chiari Panamá Centro 1977 Marina Valenciano Los Santos 1978 Diana Leticia Conte Vergara Panamá Centro 1979 Yahel Cecile Dolande Panamá Centro 1980 Gloria Karamañites Colón 1981 Ana María Henríquez Valdés Panamá Centro 1982 Isora de Lourdes Moreno López Panamá Centro 1983 Elizabeth Bylan Bennett Panamá Centro 1984 Cilinia Prada Acosta Panamá Centro 1985 Janett Vásquez Sanjur Panamá Centro Teatro Nacional de Panamá, Ciudad de Panamá. 1986 Gilda García Veraguas 1987-1989 Gabriela Deleuze Los Santos 1990 Liz De León Panamá Centro 1991 Ana Orillac Panamá Centro 1992 Giselle González Veraguas 1993 María Sofía Velásquez Panamá Centro Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1994 Michele Sage Panamá Centro Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1995 Reyna Royo Panamá Centro Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1996 Lía Borrero Los Santos Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1997 Tanisha Drummond Colón Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1998 Yamani Saied Panamá Centro Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 1999 Analía Núñez Chiriquí Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2000 Ivette Cordovez Panamá Centro Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2001 Justine Pasek Panamá Centro Gran Salón Hotel Continental, Ciudad de Panamá. 2002 Stefanie de Roux Panamá Centro Centro de Convenciones Vasco Núñez, Ciudad de Panamá. 2003 Jessica Rodríguez Panamá Centro Figali Convention Center, Ciudad de Panamá. 2004 Rosa María Hernández Los Santos Teatro Nacional de Panamá, Ciudad de Panamá. 2005 María Alessandra Mezquita Panamá Centro Centro de Convenciones Vasco Núñez del Hotel El Panamá, Ciudad de Panamá. 2006 Giselle Bissot Panamá Centro Gran Salón del Hotel & Casino Venetto, Ciudad de Panamá. 2007 Sorangel Matos Darien Gran Salón del Hotel & Casino Venetto, Ciudad de Panamá. 2008 Carolina Dementiev Panamá Centro Studio "B" de Canal 13 Telemetro, Ciudad de Panamá. 2009 Diana Broce Los Santos Tihany Spectacular, Ciudad de Panamá. 2010 Anyolí Ábrego Veraguas Sheraton Hotel, Ciudad de Panamá. 2011 Sheldry Sáez Herrera Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2012 Stephanie Vander Werf Panamá Centro Riu Plaza Panamá Hotel, Ciudad de Panamá. 2013 Carolina Brid Veraguas Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2014 Yomatzy Hazlewood Darien Riu Plaza Panamá Hotel, Ciudad de Panamá. 2015 Gladys Brandao Los Santos Hard Rock Hotel & Cafe Megapolis Panama, Ciudad de Panamá 2016 Keity Drennan Panamá Centro Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower, Ciudad de Panamá 2017 Laura Sofía de Sanctis Natera Contadora Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2018 Rosa Montezuma Comarcas Roberto Durán Arena, Ciudad de Panamá. 2019 Mehr Eliezer Flamenco Roberto Durán Arena, Ciudad de Panamá. 2020 Carmen Jaramillo Panamá Este Roberto Durán Arena, Ciudad de Panamá. 2021 Brenda Smith Panamá Centro Hotel Whyndham Convention Center, Ciudad de Panamá. 2022 Solaris Barba Herrera Teatro Gladys Vidal, Ciudad de Panamá. 2023 Natasha Vargas Los Santos Teatro Anayansi Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Ciudad de Panamá. 2024 Italy Mora Riviera del Canal Figali Convention Center, Ciudad de Panamá. 2025 Mirna Alejandra Caballini Bouche Chiriquí Figali Convention Center, Ciudad de Panamá. 2026 Gabriela Lineth González del Valle Chiriquí Roberto Durán Arena, Ciudad de Panamá.
Winners gallery
Miss Panamá
History
The Miss Panama pageant, was born in 1952 when an invitation was received by tourism authorities to select a contestant for the purpose of sending advertising a Panamanian representative to Miss Universe contest in California, United States, which had been created that same year by the company Pacific Mills to promote its brand of bikinis "Catalina".
In 1977, Carolina Chiari acquired the rights of the pageant and created a televised contest. The winner went to Miss Universe and the 1st runner-up went to Miss World, until 1980. During the 1980s, the pageant was broadcast and promoted by Channel 2, which was the official Government network, giving place to endless rumors about affairs between the beauty queens and authority figures. The last edition of Miss Panama took place 1987 when the country entered the political and financial crisis which ended with the arrest of General Manuel Antonio Noriega.
Titleholders
Color key
Year Miss Panamá Official Title International Placement Notes 1952 Elzibir Gisela MalekMiss PanamáMiss Universe Unplaced 1953 Emita Arosemena† 1954 Liliana Torre 1955–1963 No Contest Cancelled due to church protests 1964 Maritza Montilla Unplaced 1965 Sonia Inés Ríos† Unplaced 1966 Dionisia Broce Unplaced1967 Mirna Norma Castillero Miss Panamá Miss Universe Unplaced Carlota Lozano 1st Runner-Up Miss World Unplaced 1968–1969 No ContestMiss PanamáMiss Universe Unplaced 1970 Berta López Herrera Unplaced1971 Gladys Isaza Miss Panamá Miss Universe Unplaced Maria de Lourdes Rivera 1st Runner-Up Miss World Unplaced 1972 No ContestMiss PanamáMiss Universe 1973 Janine Lizuaín Unplaced 1974 Jazmín Nereida Panay 1975 Anina Horta Torrijos Unplaced 1976 Carolina Maria Chiari Unplaced1977 Marina Valenciano Miss Panamá Miss Universe Unplaced Anabelle Vallarino 1st Runner-Up Miss World Unplaced 1978 Diana Leticia Conte Miss Panamá Miss Universe Unplaced1979 Yahel Dolande Miss Panamá Miss Universe Unplaced Lorelay de la Ossa 1st Runner-Up Miss World 1980 Gloria Karamañites Miss Panamá Miss Universe Aurea Horta Torrijos 1st Runner-Up Miss World Unplaced 1981 Ana María HenríquezMiss PanamáMiss Universe Unplaced 1982 Isora Moreno Unplaced 1983 Elizabeth Bylan Bennett Unplaced 1984 Cilinia Prada Acosta Unplaced Won Miss Asia Pacific 1987 1985 Janett Vásquez Unplaced 1986 Gilda García Unplaced Best National Costume 1987 Gabriela Deleuze Unplaced
Miss Panamá (2011–2015)
History