Search Begins For Most The Most Beautiful Latina Models In The World

Ten City Tour of Latin World will yield Beautiful Hispanic Models for Grand Las Vegas Finale at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to determine the Most Beautiful Latina in the World.

PlayerXT has teamed up with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and Telemundo to search the entire Latin world for 30 beautiful Hispanic ladies to bring to the USA to compete in an International Final event on September 25 - 27, 2009. The entire summer search series, conducted in South America and Latin America will be covered by Telemundo and sponsored by Dos Exxis, Tecate, Monster Energy Drink, Patron, and Maxim Espanol.

The search kicked off in Mexicali with Playmates Stephanie Heinrich, Shallan Meiers and DJ Lady Kate. The winners of each event will win an all expenses paid trip to the United States to participate the International Finals in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Last years Finals were held at the 4-Star Resort Casino Fantasy Springs in the California desert near Palm Springs, CA. There were over 50 models representing 20 Latin countries during the entire month of August for a five-week pageant. Twelve Finalist from across el mundo latino - "the Latin world" competed for the crown.

Hot Latina Nights was sponsored by Tecate, Dos Exxis, Patron, Shirley of Hollywood, Blue Ray Technologies, KUNA TV, and La Poderosa 97.6 radio. The Desert Sun Newspaper (at left) did a five-week pictorial feature on the venue.

The entire event was covered by Telemundo's Ritmo Deportivo which aired internationally. Check out the Final Weekend on Telemundo.

Each week, there was new upcoming hispanic talent and "Tribute Artists" - Chayanne, Rick Martin, JLo, etc. The weekly hosting jobs alternated between by Ritmo Deportivo's Rene Braga, Telemundo's Chile Con Limon's Fernando Kelly, PlayerXT's Maya Rochelle, the beautiful and talented Jenny Garcia and La Poderosa's Frankie Arrello. The hot Latino groups 6 Twenty and Marti Garcia's Ta Toons had the standing room only audience singing and dancing on the final night. Over the five week period, approximately 3,000 spectators celebrated the hispanic heritage of these beautiful Latina's at the nighttime poolside event.

Sure, the pageant boasted beautiful women, dancing and costumes. However, the event also offered a glimpse at the unique, diverse heritage of Latino immigrants who've made their way to the U.S. for a better life. Each of the 50 contestants either were born in a Latin American country or were raised as first-generation U.S. residents. The contestants lived in California and the Southwest and represented most represented Central and South America countries. Twelve of the 50 models represented Mexico.

Several of the contestants, such as Jazmin Siguenza, (at right) endured poverty and political strife at an early age. Siguenza, 26 fled to California from El Salvador wither her mother and brother when she was 4 years old to was 4 years old to escape that country's devastating civil war. "It's a third-world country, for sure. I see how the people are and I have a lot of respect for them," Siguenza said Sunday before the competition. She added that she visits El Salvador every year. "It puts me in check. I think we take a lot for granted" in the U.S. Siguenza, who lives in Chico, said her father stayed behind during the civil war — and survived. Her mother visited El Salvador during the 1980s and told her daughter of the gruesome images of the war that she saw first-hand. Check out the beautiful Jazmin on Telemundo.             

                                                    Winners Lourdes of Cuba, Barbara of Argentina and Jazmin of El Salvador with Telemundo's Rene Braga

Another contestant, Lourdes Zunzunegui, came to the United States from Cuba with her family during the 1980 Mariel Boatlift, an agreement between President Jimmy Carter and Cuban President Fidel Castro to allow thousands of Cubans to emigrate to the U.S. Zunzunegui, 32, said she wants to raise awareness of the economic struggles Cubans face, and she cited a high illiteracy rate among the population. She expressed pride in the "awesome fusion" of Cuban culture and its mix of Spanish and African influences. "You bring them together, you get me," she said Sunday.

Jessica Christine, 22, (at left) hails from San Diego but said her mother was the first of eight siblings to emigrate from Chile three decades ago. The family was on the run from extreme poverty, and they came to the U.S. "to make a life, to survive," Christine said Sunday. "When she came, she didn't have anything," but her mother helped lay a financial foundation for her siblings to arrive from Chile by making clothes, Christine said. Christine said she works at a corporate office for the T-Mobile company and lives with her mother, whom she described as "her best friend." "We've been through a lot, but the outcome is worth it all," she added.

The winner was the beautiful Barbara Mangrini of Argentina. Barbara lives with her parents Luis and Monica in Sunland, CA. Besides working full time as a model in Los Angeles, she is part of a sensational singing and dancing team with her sisters, Crystal and Ashlynn known as the ABC Sisters. Check out the beautiful Barbara on Telemundo. Lourdes representing Cuba placed second and Jazamin representing El Salvador place third. The tweleve top ladies split over $15,000 in cash, prizes and gifts. Barbara walked away with $4,000 and a modeling contract with Telemundo.
                                                                                                                                                                                   
Director of Public Relations Frank Torok and Director of Advertising Mandi Winoker created a media frenzy all weekend as the models moved all around Fantasy Springs. Cameras from every station in Coachella Valley were on hand as the models took to the stage. Check out the "hundreds of pictures" taken by Thomas Oed of Impact Photos.