Russia’s Miss Earth contestant calls Russia a “beggar”
Contestants (L-R) Aisha Valy of Reunion Island, Natalia Pereverzeva of Russia, and Sara Pender of Scotland pose for photographers during a press presentation of the Miss Earth beauty pageant at a hotel in Manila on November 6, 2012.
Beauty pageant contestants are expected to not say anything too controversial, or it might distract everyone from how hot they are. But Natalia Pereverzeva took some chances and used her platform as a Russia Miss Earth contestant to criticize Russia.
Miss Earth is an annual international beauty contest currently being held in the Philippines, the Daily Telegraph reported. At one point, the candidates were asked standard questions about what made them feel proud of their respective countries. But when it was 24-year-old Pereverzeva's turn to talk, she didn't give a standard answer.
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Instead she described Russia "a great artery, from which the 'chosen' few people are draining away its wealth." She added later: "My Russia is a beggar. My Russia cannot help her elderly and orphans. From it, bleeding, like from a sinking ship, engineers, doctors, teachers are fleeing, because they have nothing to live on. My Russia – it is an endless Caucasian war."
The speech immediately went viral, RT.com reported, with some Russians accusing her of exaggerating, and others expressing support. “Undoubtedly, well said, Natasha. She is not just beautiful, but smart and brave,” read one of the comments to Pereverzeva's speech on Facebook, according to RT.com. Her press people meanwhile are distancing themselves from the speech. We'll find out how the judges feel after she goes through finals on November 24.
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