| El Tocuyo | |
| Settlement Type: | Shire Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Venezuela |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Venezuela |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Lara |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Morán Municipality |
| Subdivision Type3: | Demonym |
| Subdivision Name3: | Tocuyano |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Area Total Km2: | 2231 |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Total: | 41,327 |
| Population Demonym: | Tocuyano/a |
| Coordinates: | 9.7822°N -69.7931°W |
| Elevation M: | 622 |
| Postal Code Type: | postal code |
| Postal Code: | 3018 |
| Area Code: | 0253 |
| Blank1 Name: | Climate |
| Blank1 Info: | Aw |
El Tocuyo is a fertile valley and city in west-central Venezuela at 6220NaN0 elevation. It is located in south-central Lara State about 60 km southwest of Barquisimeto. The town of El Tocuyo was founded by Juan de Carvajal in 1545 on the banks of the Tocuyo River and it was the administrative capital of Venezuela Province from 1546 to 1548. Its original name was Nuestra Señora de la Pura y Limpia Concepción del Tocuyo. El Tocuyo is now just the municipal seat of Morán. Its population is 41,327 (2001).
The surrounding area has good soil and an ideal climate for agriculture, dry and warm with plenty of water available from the Tocuyo River. The area has been occupied since prehistoric times. When the Spanish arrived they found the Gayones Indians, who inhabited this valley, sowing corn and other agricultural products as cotton and yucca. After the Spanish came, sugar cane was, for centuries, the biggest crop; but since 1980 vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, chiles, and potatoes are taking its place.
In 1545, Philipp von Hutten, a German captain general representing the Welser bankers of Augsburg, embarked on an expedition in search of El Dorado, leaving Santa Ana de Coro, where Spanish relatives faced hardships. Juan de Carvajal, a Crown notary since around 1530, opposed the Welsers, denouncing their exploitations. Carvajal, having served in Hispaniola, returned to Coro in 1544 as lieutenant governor, and led an expedition to found a new city, El Tocuyo, in 1545, due to Coro's inhospitable conditions.[1] [2]
Formerly known as "Ruth Ocumárez Award" which being granted to those contestants in Miss Universe that was highly favored by the pageant fans to be in the semifinals but didn't made to be in the first cut.[3] [4] Mariam Habach is the founder of El Tocuyo Awards way back in 2016.
| Year | Represented | Titleholder | Age | Hometown | National title | Continent | Host city and country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Mariam Habach | 21 | Lara (state) | Miss Venezuela 2015 | South America | Pasay, Philippines | ||
| 2017 | Denisse Franco | 19 | Culiacán | Nuestra Belleza México 2017 | North America | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | ||
| 2018 | Virginia Limongi | 24 | Portoviejo | Miss Ecuador 2018 | South America | Bangkok, Thailand | ||
| 2019 | Mariana Varela | 23 | Avellaneda | Miss Universe Argentina 2019 | South America | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | ||
| 2020 | Natasha Joubert | 23 | Centurion | Miss Universe South Africa 2020Miss South Africa 2023 | Africa | Hollywood, Florida, United States | ||
| 2021 | Sarah Loinaz | 23 | San Sebastián | Miss Universe Spain 2021 | Europe | Eilat, Israel | ||
| 2022 | Celeste Cortesi | 25 | Pasay | Miss Universe Philippines 2022Miss Philippines Earth 2018 | Asia-Pacific | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | ||
| Melissa Flores | 25 | Venustiano Carranza | Mexicana UniversalMiss Earth México | North America | San Salvador, El Salvador | |||
| TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | Mexico City, Mexico |