Marisol Malaret Contreras was a Puerto Rican TV host, model, and beauty queen who won the title of Miss Universe 1970 becoming the first Caribbean and Puerto Rican woman to be crowned Miss Universe. Malaret was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico, and began working at an early age, due to the death of both of her parents. She was reportedly persuaded by Puerto Rican make-up artist Carmen Andino to compete in the Miss Puerto Rico pageant, then owned by Puerto Rican modeling guru and businesswoman Anna Santisteban. Malaret's strong will, ethics, and beauty made her a crowd favorite in the local contest. Before winning, she worked as an executive secretary for the Puerto Rico Telephone Company. The auburn-haired, blue-green-eyed Malaret won the title on July 11, 1970, at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida. Her victory not only made her the first Puerto Rican and the first Caribbean to win the Miss Universe title but it also allowed Puerto Rico to have its first-ever placement at Miss Universe since its inception in 1952; making Malaret the first Puerto Rican woman to win a major international pageant. After her win in the Miss Universe pageant, she was honored with what was considered until then one of the biggest welcomings ever at San Juan's Isla Verde International Airport. The New York Times reported that "50,000 turned out in San Juan to honor a Queen." She was also invited to the White House for a visit, in the Oval Office with then-President Richard Nixon. Malaret's face graced the covers of many international and Puerto Rican entertainment and gossip magazines, such as "Vea", "Teve Guía", "Artistas", "Estrellas", and its smaller version "Estrellitas". She participated in many advertising campaigns and performed occasionally as a motivational speaker to young women and aspiring business leaders.

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