Miss Peru send her representative, Mary Núñez, to the Miss Universe Pageant, because she was prevented from participating by the president of the republic, Juan Velasco Alvarado. He considered the contest was the product of American capitalism, and a country with which he did not have good relations. This was the only occasion in which a Miss Peru did not participate in the Miss Universe except for the 1955 and 1974, when no contest was held. Given the refusal of Alvarado, Mary Núñez was sent to Miss World 1973 in London, England. In 1982, Peru became the first South American country to
Juan Víctores de Velasco Juan Víctores de Velasco Juan Víctores de Velasco, O.S.B. (1644–1713) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Trujillo (1707–1713) and Bishop of Santa Marta (1694–1707). Juan Víctores de Velasco was born in Burgos, Spain in 1644 and ordained a priest in the Order of Saint Benedict. On 19 Jul 1694, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Innocent XII as Bishop of Santa Marta. On 21 Oct 1694, he was consecrated bishop at the convent San Martín in Madrid, Spain. On 28 Nov 1707, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Clement XI as Bishop