Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios made history as she became the first woman from her country to win the coveted Miss Universe crown. The 23-year-old communications graduate and television host dazzled the judges and the audience with her beauty, intelligence, and charisma at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant held in San Salvador, El Salvador on November 18, 2023.
A dream come true for Palacios
Palacios, who represented the city of Diriamba at the national contest, beat nine other finalists to win the Miss Nicaragua 2023 title on August 5, 2023. She also bagged several awards, including Miss Solenti, Miss Beauty Shipping, Miss Agua Cielo, Miss Flawless Beauty, Miss Styling Baby Liss Pro, and Mujer Abundance.
She said that winning the national crown was a dream come true for her, as she had always wanted to represent her country on the international stage. She also expressed her gratitude to her family, friends, and supporters for their love and encouragement.
Palacios is no stranger to pageantry, as she had previously held the titles of Miss Teen Nicaragua 2016 and Miss World Nicaragua 2020. She also participated in Miss Teen Universe 2017 and Miss World 2020, where she placed in the top 10 and top 40, respectively.
She said that her experiences in these competitions helped her prepare for the Miss Universe pageant, where she faced 84 other beauties from around the world. She said that she learned a lot from her fellow contestants, who inspired her with their stories and advocacies.
A voice for change and empowerment
Palacios, who graduated from the Universidad Centroamericana in Managua with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, is also a television host and a volleyball player. She said that her passions are journalism, sports, and social work.
She said that her advocacy is to empower women and girls through education, leadership, and entrepreneurship. She said that she wants to use her voice and platform to raise awareness and support for the issues that affect women and girls in her country and around the world, such as gender-based violence, poverty, and lack of opportunities.
She also said that she wants to promote the culture, tourism, and beauty of Nicaragua, which she described as a land of lakes and volcanoes. She said that she is proud of her roots and heritage and that she hopes to inspire other young women to pursue their dreams and goals.
A historic moment for Nicaragua and the Miss Universe pageant
Palacios made history as she became the first woman from Nicaragua to win the Miss Universe crown, which has been in existence since 1952. She also became the fourth woman from Central America to win the title, following Marisol Malaret of Puerto Rico (1970), Deborah Carthy-Deu of Puerto Rico (1985), and Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico (1993).
She received the crown from the outgoing Miss Universe 2022, R’Bonney Gabriel of the United States, who congratulated her and wished her a successful reign. She also received a $250,000 cash prize, a year-long contract with the Miss Universe Organization, and a luxury apartment in New York City.
The first runner-up was Miss Thailand, Chalita Suansane, who impressed the judges with her stunning evening gown and her answer to the final question. She received a $100,000 cash prize and a six-month contract with the Miss Universe Organization.
The second runner-up was Miss Australia, Maria Thattil, who charmed the judges with her bubbly personality and her advocacy for mental health. She received a $50,000 cash prize and a three-month contract with the Miss Universe Organization.
The other finalists in the top five were Miss Lebanon, Yara Abou Monsef, and Miss Philippines, Beatrice Gomez. The other semifinalists in the top 10 were Miss Angola, Nelma Ferreira, Miss Brazil, Julia Gama, Miss Chile, Daniela Nicolas, Miss Singapore, Bernadette Belle Ong, and Miss Zimbabwe, Belinda Potts.
The pageant, which was hosted by Steve Harvey and Olivia Culpo, also featured performances by singers Luis Fonsi and Becky G. The judges panel consisted of former Miss Universe winners Zozibini Tunzi (2019), Catriona Gray (2018), Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (2017), and Paulina Vega (2014), as well as actress and activist Arden Cho, entrepreneur and philanthropist Keltie Knight, and fashion designer Michael Costello.
The pageant also marked the debut of Pakistan and the returns of 10 countries, namely Denmark, Egypt, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mongolia, Norway, and Zimbabwe. For the first time in its history, both the Netherlands and Portugal were represented by transgender women, following Spain’s Angela Ponce who participated in 2018.
The pageant also featured the Voice for Change campaign, a collaboration between the Miss Universe Organization, CI Talks, and Mouawad, which aimed to amplify the voices of the contestants who are making a difference in their communities and the world. The top 10 silver finalists of the campaign were Angola, Brazil, Chile, Lebanon, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.
