Mariana Downing, Miss Dominican Republic, responds to criticisms for not mastering Spanish

Mariana Downing, previously in a relationship with Marc Anthony, has recently been crowned Miss Dominican Republic. She is preparing to participate in the upcoming Miss Universe competition on November 18th in El Salvador. 

However, her victory has faced criticism due to her being raised in the United States and having English as her dominant language rather than Spanish, the official language of the country she will be representing.

When asked about this on the “Al Rojo Vivo” program (Telemundo), Mariana defended her actions in the competition. “The language I dominate is English, and when I express myself, I want to do it intelligently, I want to express myself with things I understand,” she explained.

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Furthermore, she pointed out that she could have represented other countries in the competition but chose to represent her mother’s homeland. “I could have also represented the United Kingdom or the United States, but I wanted to be here, representing the Dominican Republic,” she added. “I am Dominican by blood; my mom is from Cotui, and I feel it in my roots,” she affirmed, stating that “the children of Dominican migrants who left in search of a better quality of life also have the right to represent our country.”

Her Relationship with Marc Anthony

Mariana has a successful career in the fashion industry, having worked with renowned brands such as Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Rosa Clará. She was already a notable figure when rumors of her relationship with Marc Anthony circulated. In 2017, the young model, then 21 years old, had a romance with the salsa singer. Following a highly publicized divorce from Shannon de Lima, Marc began dating Mariana Downing.

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It was revealed that the two met at a dinner in Miami with mutual friends, and that’s where the spark ignited. Their relationship was confirmed that same year when they made their first public appearance as a couple at the Maestro Cares gala, the charitable organization presided over by Marc.