As we draw near to the arrival of the International Costa Maya Festival®, and the highly anticipated Reina de La Costa Maya pageant, we are looking back on the beauties who have graced the stage. Many of the lovely young ladies have gone on to fabulous careers and excelled in their endeavors.
We have tracked down some of the ladies, including past winners, and will be sharing a little bit of their lives since the pageant!
We begin with the FIRST ever Miss Reina de La Costa Maya. She is Maria del Socorro Retolaza. Maria represented Mexico at the pageant, and proudly took the crown and new title back to her hometown of Veracruz in 1996. We located her, and spoke to her recently about her participation and how life has been since.
Maria: Sadly, I have not been back to San Pedro since the pageant. I had full intentions to return the next year, but was unable to do so at the last moment. It was a wonderful experience winning the pageant. I loved being in beautiful San Pedro, getting to know its warm and kind people. I remember being grateful that they chose me to represent the festival and my country, and those friendships I created during my time in San Pedro remain dear to me.
She currently lives in Chiapas Mexico with her boyfriend Mauricio Romero, a professional football player, and her three adorable dogs.
Maria: I certainly remember San Pedranos fondly, and hope that there are many more festivals to come. I hope the festival continues to grow – as it has grown to include more countries in the pageant. I really am hopeful to be able to visit soon, and reconnect with La Isla Bonita. I send a warm hug from the heart to everyone who works hard to bring the festival together, and to the Belizean people for their support during my reign.
