In the last four decades, Venezuela has won more beauty titles than any other country: six Miss Universes, five Miss Worlds and seven Miss Internationals.

It is no exaggeration to say that entering beauty competitions has become a national pastime – almost an obsession – in a country that buys more cosmetic products than any other. Fans and foes alike put this down to the drive of one man – Osmel Sousa, the Cuban-born impresario and head of the Miss Venezuela organisation who, over 36 years, has remade the beauty industry, and changed the face of pageanting.

It came as a sad shock to the country as the queen maker of Venezuela announced his retirement on his official Instagram handle.

Sousa had a brilliant streak of beauty queens, and it all started after Sousa received the reigns of the Miss Venezuela pageant.  Sousa left Cuba for Venezuela after Fidel Castro took power in 1959 and began to slowly build his career. When he was in his early 20s he landed a job as a draughtsman for the publicity firm that owned the Miss Venezuela contest.

(Photo Courtesy: Osmel Sousa Instagram Official)

"I would secretly choose one of the girls and coach her in my spare time and the ones I chose always won." It did not take long for Sousa's talent to get recognised by Gustavo Cisneros, the media mogul who by then had bought Miss Venezuela, putting him in charge.

"Gustavo had total trust in me. I've not received one single instruction since I took this job 30 years ago," he said.

Under Sousa’s guidance, Venezuela's won Miss Universe back to back in 2008 and 2009, the first time it ever happened in this contest and a host of other titles, runner-up spots and semi-finalist placements. One of Sousa's most impressive records is the fact that his delegates only missed the cut only 5 times in 36 years.