In the vibrant city of San Salvador, El Salvador, Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua made history by winning the Miss Universe 2023 title. This is a first for a Nicaraguan in this renowned contest.
The event, featuring 84 contestants from around the world, ended on Saturday with Palacios taking the lead. Anntonia Porsild of Thailand was a close second.
Palacios, who has represented Nicaragua in global pageants like Teen Miss Universe in 2017 and Miss World in 2021, achieved her dream by winning Miss Universe. Her success is a clear sign of her hard work and skill.
Judges of the pageant included famous faces like model Halima Aden, Carson Kressley of “Queer Eye,” TikTok celebrity Avani Gregg, and past Miss Universe winners Janelle Commissiong and Iris Mittenaere. The contest started with 20 semi-finalists chosen from earlier rounds and a worldwide fan vote.
The competition was tough, with rounds including swimsuit and evening gown displays. This year’s pageant was special, featuring the first-ever “curvy” semi-finalist from Nepal and a Pakistani contestant who chose a burkini.
The final challenge was a Q&A session, after which only three contestants remained: Palacios, Porsild, and Moraya Wilson from Australia. In the final stage, Palacios chose to embody Mary Wollstonecraft, an 18th-century British philosopher and feminist, showing the endless possibilities for women today.
Other notable contestants were Miss Colombia, Camila Avella, and Miss Puerto Rico, Karla Guilfú, with Athenea Pérez of Spain being named Miss Congeniality.
Palacios takes over from R’Bonney Gabriel of the USA, the 2022 Miss Universe. Her triumph is not just personal but a moment of pride for Nicaragua, highlighting its elegance and talent on the world stage.