![Top-three finalists (from l. to r.) Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas,...]()
Gerard/Getty
Top-three finalists (from l. to r.) Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas, Mendoza and Miss Dominian Republic Marianne Cruz Gonzalez await the judges' final decision...
![Miss Universe first runner-up went to Taliana Vargas, Miss Colombia.]()
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Miss Universe first runner-up went to Taliana Vargas, Miss Colombia.
![Elisa Najera, Miss Mexico 2008, came up fifth in the...]()
Decker/Getty
Elisa Najera, Miss Mexico 2008, came up fifth in the 57th annual Miss Universe competition.
![From Left, Tailana Vargas, Miss Colombia, Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela,...]()
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From Left, Tailana Vargas, Miss Colombia, Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, Marianne Cruz Gonzalez, Miss Dominican Republic, Elisa Najera, Miss Mexico, Vera Krasova, Miss Russia are named into top five during the Miss Universe 2008 beauty pageant.
![Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was the winner of this year's...]()
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Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was the winner of this year's Miss Universe pageant.
![Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, reacts as Riyo Mori, Miss Universe...]()
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Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, reacts as Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, crowns her Miss Universe 2008.
![Taliana Vargas, 20, Miss Colombia (l.) and Dayana Mendoza, 22,...]()
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Taliana Vargas, 20, Miss Colombia (l.) and Dayana Mendoza, 22, Miss Venezuela, stand on the stage as they are chosen among the top-five during the final of the 57th Miss Universe contest.
![Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, reacts as Riyo Mori, Miss Universe...]()
Yu/AP
Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, reacts as Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, crowns her Miss Universe 2008 during the beauty pageant in Nha Trang, Vietnam, Monday, July 14.
![... or perhaps it was how Mendoza looked during the...]()
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... or perhaps it was how Mendoza looked during the swimsuit segment of the pageant.
![Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, smiles during a press conference after...]()
Yu/AP
Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, smiles during a press conference after winning the Miss Universe 2008 beauty pageant.
![Perhaps it was Miss Venezuela's answer to the judges' question...]()
Yu/AP
Perhaps it was Miss Venezuela's answer to the judges' question on who has it easier, men or women: 'Men think that the faster way to go to a point is to go straight,' she said. 'Women know that the faster way to go to a point is to go to the curves.' ...
![Claudia Moro Fernández, 22, Miss Spain parades in swimsuit at...]()
Nam/Getty
Claudia Moro Fernández, 22, Miss Spain parades in swimsuit at the final of the 57th Miss Universe.
![...just before Mendoza hears that she is officially the most...]()
Decker/Getty
...just before Mendoza hears that she is officially the most beautiful woman in the world.
![Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela 2008, reacts as she is crowned...]()
Getty
Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela 2008, reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe 2008 next to Miss Colombia Taliana Targas, 20, who is first runer-up at the final of the 57th Miss Universe contest.
![Marianne Cruz Gonzalez, Miss Dominican Republic, ranked number three at...]()
Yu/AP
Marianne Cruz Gonzalez, Miss Dominican Republic, ranked number three at Miss Universe 2008.
Miss Venezuela was crowned Miss Universe 2008 on Monday in a contest in which the final five contestants included four from Latin America, including Miss Mexico, Miss Dominican Republic and Miss Colombia.
