委内瑞拉选美业难逃经济危机影响

Despite a second consecutive victory at this year's Miss Universe, even Venezuela's hugely successful beauty factory is feeling the global pinch.

The local "Miss Venezuela" organization -- which has landed the South American nation more international pageant titles than any other country -- announced on Wednesday it had slashed the number of national competitors to 20 from 30.

"We have had to tighten our belt a bit too," said Joaquin Riviera, organizer of the annual Miss Venezuela competition, which is wildly popular and draws huge TV audiences.

The next national winner will be chosen on September 24.

"I've asked Osmel to be a bit stricter choosing 20 girls, so we only have the best," Riviera added, referring to local beauty "czar" Osmel Sousa, who prepares the competitors.

Sousa denied the cuts, however, would mean fewer dresses or less plastic surgery for girls competing. Venezuela has one of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world.

Venezuela's Stefania Fernandez, an 18-year-old brunette, won the Miss Universe 2009 title last month in the Bahamas, giving her country its second win in a row and its sixth in that pageant's history.

尽管委内瑞拉小姐今年连续第二年摘得“环球小姐”桂冠，但该国极为成功的“造美工厂”也感受到了全球经济危机的影响。

当地的“委内瑞拉小姐”选美机构于本周三宣布其已将参加全国比赛的选手人数从30名缩减到了20名。来自南美的“委内瑞拉小姐”向来是国际选美大赛的夺冠热门。

一年一度的“委内瑞拉小姐”选美比赛的组织者杰昆．里维埃拉说：“我们也不得不缩紧开支了。“委内瑞拉小姐”选美大赛十分受欢迎，吸引了大批电视观众观看。

下一届“委内瑞拉小姐”全国冠军将于9月24日决出。

里维埃拉说：“我已经要求奥斯梅尔把标准定得更加严格一点，只选出20个女孩，这样我们选出来的都是最好的。” 奥斯梅尔·索萨是当地的选美“教父”，专门负责训练选手。

然而，索萨表示，人数减少并不意味着选手们的比赛服装或整容手术会减少。委内瑞拉是全世界整容手术率最高的国家之一。

上月，委内瑞拉18岁的黑发美女斯特法妮娅．费尔南德斯在巴哈马摘得2009年度”环球小姐“桂冠。这是委内瑞拉连续第二年夺冠，也是该国在选美历史上第六次获此殊荣。

Vocabulary:

tighten one's belt: 束紧腰带；节约度日

pinch: a painful, difficult, or straitened circumstance 困难

land: to win; secure 赢得（land a contract 揽得一份合同）

pageant: 指beauty pageant，选美大赛

brunette: a girl or woman with dark or brown hair 黑发或褐发女人