Miss International 2003: Goizeder Azúa of Venezuela

**bonner** Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:14 pm

Goizeder Victoria Azúa Barríos, (born February 23, 1984 in San Felipe, Yaracuy, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan TV show host, model, journalist and Miss International 2003.

She began her beauty pageant career by winning the Miss Carabobo 2002 title, beating out big favorite Vanessa Fanesi, and then by winning the Miss World Venezuela 2002 crown in the Gala de la Belleza beauty pageant. Azúa was a major surprise winner both times but she has gone on to a highly distinguished career in pageantry and fashion.

In 2002, she represented Venezuela in the Miss World pageant, where she was a semi-finalist in the controversy-ridden edition (during which Osmel Sousa refused to pull her participation when several nations were protesting against the original host country Nigeria). She has also won the Miss Mesoamérica title, making her one of the most successful representatives of Venezuela.

She was selected by Sousa to represent Venezuela in Miss International 2003, where she won the crown for her country and the Miss Photogenic title. Her win marks the fourth of five victories of Venezuela in Miss International, the most of any nation.

Although she was once considered Venezuela's top fashion model, she is famed not for her facial beauty but more for her personality and spectacular catwalk. She is working in Globovision and radio in Venezuela. Azúa is of Basque ancestry, which accounts for her highly unusual first and family names.