The first debate of Mexico's 2012 presidential election took place this past Sunday night, but unfortunately it seems the candidates had to share the spotlight with Julia Orayen, a former Playboy playmate.

In a white, skin tight dress with a plunging neckline, Orayen appeared as the usher for less than 20 seconds at the very beginning of the debate. Nonetheless, many say she stole the show.

"Unbelievably, to be honest. At the beginning I was quite shocked, I thought it was a trap from the (other) candidates," said Gabriel Quadri, the 2012 Presidential candidate from the "Nueva Alianza" political party, in Spanish to ADNpolitico.com

"Yes, a beautiful usher who to be completely honest deserves my admiration and who left all the male candidates of the debate breathless," he continued in Spanish.

Orayen, the covergirl of Playboy's 2008 September issue, prompted a Twitter frenzy just by gracing the stage for a matter of seconds. Her name trended on Twitter in Mexico City, jumping between third and fourth place throughout the day.

Former Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda, who is also a New York University professor, tweeted "The best was the girl in white and the cleavage at the beginning."

However, not everyone was equally as delighted with Orayen's appearance. Some disapproved of the decision to bring the ex-playmate to assist in the debate, arguing that it is part of the hypersexualization of women in Mexican culture.

In response, the Federal Electoral Institute responsible for organizing the debate, issued an apology to the candidates and Mexican citizens, blaming the incident on a production associate hired to help with the debate, according to Mercury News.

Mexico's 2012 Presidential Candidates:

• Enrique Peña Nieto

  Mexican presidential candidate for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Enrique Pena Nieto, speaks during a rally in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State, Mexico on April 28, 2012. Mexico will hold presidential elections next July 1, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Alfredo ESTRELLA (Photo credit should read ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/GettyImages)

• Josefina Vazquez Mota

  Mexican presidential candidate for the National Action Party (PAN), Josefina Vazquez Mota, waves during a rally in Guadalajara, Mexico on April 15, 2012. Mexico will hold presidential elections next July 1, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Hector Guerrero (Photo credit should read HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/GettyImages)

• Andrés Manuel López Obrador

  Mexican presidential candidate for the leftist coalition Progressive Movement of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, talks about a presidencial debate held yesterday during a press conference in Mexico City, on May 7, 2012. Mexico's four presidential hopefuls faced off in a first televised debate Sunday, with the opponents of frontrunner Enrique Pena Nieto on the attack as they all pledged broad change. The July 1 election will select a new president, renew the lower and upper houses of Congress, governors in six states and the Mexico City mayor, as well as local lawmakers. AFP PHOTO/Alfredo ESTRELLA (Photo credit should read ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/GettyImages)

• Gabriel Quadri

  Gabriel Quadri, the presidential candidate for the New Alliance Party (PANAL), delivers a speech during an event organized by Civil Society Mexico SOS to deliver a document about justice and security, in Mexico City, Monday, April 2, 2012. The four candidates for Mexico's presidency officially launched their campaigns for the July 1 election on Friday, all of them promising change. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)

• Presidential Candidates Debate

  In this photo released by Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), presidential candidates Enrique Pena Nieto (Revolutionary Institutional Party, PRI), left, Josefina Vazquez Mota (National Action Party, PAN), second from left, Gabriel Quadri (New Alliance Party, PANAL), third from left, and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (Democratic Revolution Party and Workers Party, PRD,PT), pose for a group photo prior to the start of the first presidential debate in Mexico City, Sunday May 6, 2012. Next July 1, Mexico will hold presidential election. (AP Photo/IFE)

Mexico Presidential candidates

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Enrique Peña Nieto

Mexican presidential candidate for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Enrique Pena Nieto, speaks during a rally in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State, Mexico on April 28, 2012. Mexico will hold presidential elections next July 1, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Alfredo ESTRELLA (Photo credit should read ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/GettyImages)

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