Venezuela to not send delegate to next Miss Universe Pageant due to country's political turmoil

In a shocking move that has stunned a country obsessed with beauty pageants and which prides itself on having the "most beautiful women in the world," Venezuela will not be sending a delegate to the next Miss Universe Pageant due to its current political turmoil. Millions of Venezuelans in the beauty pageant-crazy South American nation were left stunned as the President of the Miss Venezuela Universe Organizing Committee Osmel Sousa had this to say during a press conference in Caracas earlier today which was broadcast live on Venezuelan television:

"I know that this is going to come as a great shock to millions of Venezuelans and I know that I will be subjected to lots of criticism because of this, but we, the Miss Venezuela Universe Organizing Committee have decided that in the best interest of the country and as a way of showing solidarity with the scores of our compatriots who are suffering because of the current political turmoil, have decided that we will not be sending a delegate to the next Miss Universe Pageant."

He continued:

"Look at the current state of our country. Sure, it is a well-known fact that our women are the most beautiful in the world and I know that it would have been great to send another delegate to the pageant given our proud history of winning international beauty contests, but let's be real here, how can we really celebrate beauty when our country is in so much chaos right now?"

Sousa went on:

"Do you really think that Venezuelans are going to turn on their television sets to watch any Miss Universe Pageant this year? Things are not the same anymore in this country. It's not like it was in the pre-Chavez/Maduro era when we were Capitalist and a very prosperous nation. Why do you think that so many of our people are fleeing the country and going to neighbouring Trinidad to find jobs? And then the Government has the audacity to blame the Opposition for the current pathetic state that the country is in? But then again, that's the way people on the left think. Or is it don't think? Nothing is ever their fault. Not even their own incompetence at governing and ruining what used to be one of the most prosperous countries in the world."