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By Zuania Ramos

After making history by becoming the fifth Venezuelan to be crowned the world's most beautiful woman, earning the title of Miss Universe and taking in a glorious holiday vacation with her boyfriend in New Jersey, Dayana Mendoza returns to promote her projects for 2012.

The first is her participation in magnate Donald Trump's 'Celebrity Apprentice,' where she'll showcase her business acumen with Latin American pride.

In an interview with Dayana, the Venezuelan beauty shares insightful details about her life after her Miss Universe coronation, including what went wrong that left her depressed:

AOL Latino: How does it feel to participate in 'Celebrity Apprentice' and once again work with the Trump family?

DM: I feel that since Miss Universe, I haven't stopped working with the Trump family, especially with the opportunity they gave me to stay in the United States and work with Trump Models. Now I'm continuing with 'Celebrity Apprentice,' which has been one of the greatest opportunities I've achieved.

AOL Latino: How does it feel to represent Latinos in this opportunity?

DM: Two of us Venezuelans are representing Latinos on the show, Patricia Velasquez and me. I feel a great sense of pride because we're women forging a difference. We Latinos have been identified and categorized by stereotypes, and the idea is for both of us to show that, yes, we did come to this country to work and do things with heart and honesty. On this occasion I'm also happy to continue collaborating with the Latino Commission on Aids, which provides assistance to Hispanic AIDS patients.

AOL Latino: How did the invitation come about?

DM: It came during a conversation with Mr. Trump. I stopped by his office to say hello and he spoke to me about the program. I wasn't sure it was something I wanted to do because I have seen it in the past and knew that it was very strong, very intense, so I wasn't sure. But in the end I decided to do it because it's for a worthy cause.

AOL Latino: What is your strategy to win on the show?

DM: Mine was to approach it serenely, honestly and work. I didn't have a single strategy because it's an extremely competitive game in which you have to remove someone to stay in it yourself, so participants work differently and all have a distinct end on the show. There are many personalities one deals with, so in the end it is much improvised because you never know how another person will react under pressure.

AOL Latino: How has it been to enter the Anglo market?

DM: It is interesting because one already knows what a Latino is like and how he/she works, but now I'm learning how things operate in the Anglo world. My goal is to educate people and show what Latin Americans truly are, and that we just didn't show up if it wasn't for our culture and to achieve and do the best we can for our families -- we came to work. I want people to understand that our culture is like any other, we just have to merge.

AOL Latino: How has your life changed since Miss Universe?

DM: After Miss Universe I studied acting for a year and a half, and it left me very depressed about school. I felt I wasn't learning enough nor working enough because I was stuck there all week. It felt like slavery and I was depressed because the school didn't compel me or hold my attention enough. So I left to Germany for two months to clear my mind and work. From there I returned to the United States, and I've been working as a model, doing commercials and promotional campaigns until now. I'm taking things slowly, though immediately after I got back I was offered this opportunity.

AOL Latino: Do you have anything lined up after the show, or are you looking for something in particular?

DM: There are things I want to do, but I don't know where to start or what to do first. Once [the show] airs, I want to prioritize opportunities and personal goals ... I only want to do what I like, work and be OK. The funny part is that one is good when stable and stability is love, work and family. And for us Latinas, it is more difficult at times because we've got one thing going here, another there -- the ideal is to have it all.

AOL Latino: How does it feel to be an icon at such a young age?

DM: I'm very flattered and honored. I simply hope that people understand who I am as a person. I've never wanted to portray an image of what I'm not. I've always been very spontaneous, but I'm still the same person. Being a beauty queen is a great opportunity, but it isn't a career. Very simply it is an opportunity one enjoys, but there has to be a Plan B, you have to go to school and you have to work. It is wonderful to live out your dream, but I would like people to know that I'm a human being like anyone else.

'Celebrity Apprentice' airs on NBC Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. (EST).

Tags AOL Latino, aol latino in Blogamole, Celebrity Apprentice, Dayana Mendoza, donald trump, Miss Universe, Patricia Velazquez

By Michael Lopez

Just when you thought we were out of beauty pageant stories, here comes more chisme from a soon-to-be Miss Universe contestant. According to reports, there are some heated debates going on right now about whether or not the current Miss Puerto Rico is qualified to wear the crown.

Apparently Bodine Koehler Peña may have won her pageant under false pretenses. Though she had grown up in San Juan since childhood, it was recently discovered that she was born in the Netherlands and that neither of her parents are of Puerto Rican heritage.

Things got so heated, Bodine had to hold a press conference to address the issue.

"Yo soy de aquí, soy puertorriqueña,” she stated. “Yo he crecido y he evolucionado como ser humano aquí y estoy bien orgullosa de ahora tener la oportunidad de poder representar a Puerto Rico y de traer la próxima corona."

Technically, Koehler Peña has a pretty solid case. Pageant officials insist they knew of her background before she entered the contest. Furthermore, their rules specify that a competitor only be a citizen of Puerto Rico vs. having actually been born on the island.

But that hasn't pleased all of the fans. We're still a little baffled by it all, especially after seeing Bodine's swimsuit picture! She's absolutely gorgeous and has as good of a shot as any Miss of taking down the Universe crown.

Do you think Miss Puerto Rico is a fraud? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Beauty Pageants, Bodine Koehler Peña, Chisme, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Universe, popnews, Puerto Rico

By Michael Lopez

Susie Castillo did it, Alicia Machado did it, so why not Ximena Navarrete? The transition from beauty queen to actress has worked out quite well for a number of Latinas and now novela producers are hoping to court 2010's Miss Universe to do the same.

There is no denying that Mexican-born Ximena was one of this decade's most popular pageant winners. With her gorgeous smile and perky personality, she's already scored contracts with a number of high-profile advertisers. And though Navarrete's said that she doesn't want to pursue acting, we think a lucrative TV contract could change her mind.

The producers behind William Levy's Triunfo del Amor are hoping to cast Ximena in their upcoming soap, Aventura. The plot would involve her playing a sweet small town girl who gets seduced by the world of nightclub dancing.

That already sounds like a winning story to us, but will Navarette commit to it? Right now she is doing film work to promote tourism in Mexico. Let's hope she takes on Aventura after that (or at least drops by for a cameo on Popland!).

Do you think Ximena would make a good novela star? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Aventura, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Miss Universe, Novelas, popnews, Television, Triunfo del Amor, Ximena Navarrete

By Ikam Acosta

Catty president of Miss Venezuela and Nuestra Belleza Latina, Osmel Sousa, criticized the beautiful Miss Universe, Leila Lopes, by calling her "fea y barrigona." Ouch!!

Sour grapes, much, Mr. Sousa? He went on to say,

"Esa morenita en la mañana no es tan bonita...A mí no me gusta. Tiene hasta barriga, un mal cuerpo."

Well I know Osmel wasn't competing for the crown, but he's no prize either. I believe this is a classic case of jealousy. He claimed that the hair and makeup is what made the Angolan beauty look her best, when, in actuality, she really wasn't all that good looking. As if the poor beauty queen hasn't suffered enough criticism and scrutiny in the few days she has held the title of Miss Universe. What's next, a sex tape?

Leila Lopes has had to defend herself against allegations that she wasn't really from Angola, after being accused of being Cuban instead. She also had to face the scrutiny of having some alleged pageant organizer falsify documents for her so that she could compete in the Miss Angola pageant in the first place. Qué mala suerte!

Osmel didn't even try to hide his disappointment when his preferred candidate, Vanessa Goncalves, from Venezuela, only made it to the top 16 semi-finalists. Even after commenting on how the Mexican beauty Ximena Navarrete's crown should have gone to Miss Venezuela or Miss Kosovo, his favorite finalist was actually Miss Ukraine. But certainly not Miss Angola!

Sousa also claims that the reason Miss Venezuela didn't do so hot in the pageant was that once she would have made it to the top ten finalists, she would have clearly won the crown, and the pageant coordinators did not want another Miss Universe from Venezuela.

Do you think Osmel Sousa is just being catty or does he have valid reasons to think the crown should belong to someone else?

Tags Beauty Pageants, Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Chisme, Leila Lopes, Miss Universe, Osmel Sousa

By Ikam Acosta

There has been some controversy surrounding newly-crowned Miss Universe, Leila Lopes, and whether she should have been crowned Miss Angola in the first place.

First there was confusion as to her nationality and whether she was actually of Cuban origin. Now a new controversy has emerged regarding falsification of pageant documents that would have affected whether or not Lopes actually qualified for her Miss Angola title.

There were rumors that one of the Miss Angola pageant organizers, Charles Mukano, had falsified the beauty queen's documents in order to make her eligible to compete in Miss Angola UK.

Donald Trump Enterprises, however, denied these allegations, stating that they had never heard of anyone named Charles Mukano. In fact, the national director of the Miss Angola contest was named Renato Guttler.

Trump Enterprises also dispelled previous rumors of Leila's cubanidad, which started circulating shortly after her Miss Universe coronation. They are sticking to their guns and saying her parents are not Cuban, and that she doesn't even speak Spanish.

That's a lot of conspiracy for such a short reign! Let's hope the rest of her year goes a lot smoother.

Do you think Leila's title is legit or do you think they're trying to pull a fast one on us?

Tags Beauty Pageants, Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Chisme, Leila Lopes, Miss Universe

By Michael Lopez

What is it about beauty pageants and conspiracy theories? Less than a week after being crowned Miss Universe, Leila Lopes is already being put under the microscope. Could this Angola native actually be born from Cuban parents? So far, there have been several conflicting stories.

Many websites have begun calling on Lopes to declare her Cuban heritage, but her handlers aren’t so quick to comply. According to her website, Leila is 100% Angolan and so are her parents.

"Este rumor es falso," a Miss Universe rep explained. "Sus papás son originarios de Angola y ella no habla español."

So how then did the "rumor" get started? For one thing, Leila does have some prominent Afro-Latina features and both Cuba and Angola have a long political history with each other.

But we may have to dig a little deeper to find any solid Hispanic connections. At the very least, she could be related to Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes from TLC.

Do you think Leila lied about her origins? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Angola, Beauty Pageants, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Leila Lopes, Miss Universe

By Ikam Acosta

Angola's Leila Lopes was selected from 89 other contestants to be crowned this year's Miss Universe. The pageant took place in San Palo, Brazil and marked the 60th anniversary of the beauty pageant.

Miss Ukraine, Olesia Stefanko, was the first runner-up. The only Latina who made it to the final round was second runner-up Miss Brazil, Priscila Machado. Shamcey Supsup, from the Philippines, got third runner-up and Luo Zilin, from China, got fourth runner-up.

Surprisingly enough, only three Latina contestants made it to the top ten, even though the pageant was held in Brazil. These young ladies were from Costa Rica, Panama, and Portugal. The other two semi-finalists that made it to the top ten represented Australia and France. The rest of the semi-finalists included women from Kosovo, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Netherlands, USA, and Venezuela. That's good, at least there were more Latin ladies added to the mix.

The gorgeous Miss Lopes is a business student from Benguela who is proud of her inner beauty and the values instilled upon her by her family. When asked what she would change about herself she expressed a satisfaction with how God created her and "wouldn't change a thing." Leila went on to say,

"I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."

Excelente! What a winning answer. This is the first time in the pageant's history that Angola has won the crown.

Are you happy with Miss Angola winning the crown, or would you have elected another Miss Universe?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Leida Lopes, Miss Universe, Television

By Michael Lopez

It's hard to believe that in just two weeks Ximena Navarette will be handing over her crown to a new Miss Universe. Over 88 ladies are set to compete and, as you can imagine, there will be plenty of gorgeous Latinas making their way down the runway. But before they head to Brazil for the final showdown, several of the bellezas are opening up about the experience.

"El participar en Miss Uruguay y así poder ser la embajadora de la belleza de mi país es un sueño que tengo desde pequeña,” Miss Uruguay, Fernanda Semino said. “Por lo que cuando cumplí mis 18 años de edad, me decidí a participar del certamen ¡y gané!”

With her piercing blue eyes and petite frame, Fernanda's got quite a decent shot at the title. She also has big dreams beyond the crown, including a possible career in economics.

Miss Costa Rica, Johanna Solano, may give her a run for her money. Tall, tan, and brimming with confidence, she's heavily favored in the competition. Solano's also done plenty of homework to prep for the big day, including brushing up on her Portuguese.

"Desde que inicié con todo este proyecto a la edad de 17 años ha sido una constante preparación para cosas más grandes; de ahí que se maquillarme y peinarme completamente sola," she said. "Desde mi gane, he recibido asesoría de expertos para mejorar mas técnicas con asertivos tips. Además inicie clases de portugués, etiqueta, protocolo, proyección, cultura del vino y gastronomía Europea/Brasileña."

But if you're looking for a true pro, look no further than Miss Peru, Natalie Vertiz. This 19-year-old beauty's already ingratiated herself to TV audiences with appearances on shows like Model Latina and Nuestra Belleza Latina. And being in "the business" for as long as she has, Natalie knows the importance of keeping your eye on the prize.

"Día a día tenemos muchas sesiones de fotos, tengo entrevistas, voy a los programas, también voy al gimnasio, a mis tratamientos," she said. "Muy dedicada de verdad y muy concentrada y teniendo mi meta en la mente y sabiendo a lo que quiero llegar, bien enfocada."

Of course, these three ladies are just the tip of belleza iceberg. Other heavily favored Latina Universe contestants include Karin Ontiveros (Miss Mexico), Catalina Robayo (Miss Venezuela), and Priscilla Machado (Miss Brazil). And don't get us started on the rest of the contestants.

You can find out who the most beautiful lady in the Universe is when Natalie Morales and Andy Cohen kick off the pageant on September 12!

Are you planning on watching the Miss Universe pageant? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Andy Cohen, Beauty Pageants, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Fernanda Semino, Hot Stuff, Johanna Solano, Miss Universe, Natalie Morales, Natalie Vertiz, Style, Ximena Navarette

By Michael Lopez

Ever wonder what happened to the first and only Dominican Miss Universe? Crowned back in 2003, Amelia Vega has been quite busy this past decade. She's modeled for magazines, hosted TV programs, and is now recording her first full-length album.

Entitled Agua Dulce, Amelia's record promises quite an eclectic mix of music. It's produced by frequent Ricky Martin collaborator Archie Peña, it's got a duet with merengue icon Johnny Ventura, and it's incorporating the backup band used by her very famous uncle.

Oh yea, in case you didn't know, Amelia happens to be the niece of bachata god Juan Luis Guerra. And, as Vega admitted, he was quite inspirational when it came to musical advice.

"It was an honor to share with him," Amelia said. "To listen to the anecdotes of someone so talented, about his beginnings, about how someone struggles to be someone in music, about the discipline to get where he is."

So could Vega continue her uncle's streak of winning dozens of awards and selling millions of records? We'll be keeping our eyes on Billboard's Latin Album Charts to find out!

Are you planning on picking up Amelia’s debut album? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Agua Dulce, Amelia Vega, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Hot Stuff, Juan Luis Guerra, Música, Miss Universe

By Sugey Palomares

Former Miss Universe and telenovela star Zuleyka Rivera is expecting her first child with beau and Dallas Mavericks point guard Juan José Barea. The Puerto Rican beauty, who also starred on the hit telenovela "Dame Chocolate," reveals she was caught by surprise when she found out she was seven weeks along. Zuleyka was in the process of filming a new soap opera "Corazón Apasionado," but quickly turned down the project after finding out about her pregnancy.

The mom-to-be released the following statement:

"Everything took me by surprise, but I feel very fortunate. I come from a very close family and understand what a blessing having a child is. I feel bad for leaving the soap opera because it was another opportunity to grow my career as an actress and reach my professional goals. Regardless, J.J and I are happy to start a family together and I know God will grant us a healthy baby and lots of opportunities for us in the future."

Congrats to the lovely couple!

Tags Celebrity Babies, Jose Juan Barea, Miss Universe, telenovelas, Zuleyka Rivera