Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios won the 72nd edition of the Miss Universe contest, organized in San Salvador and which for the first time included married, plus size and two trans women contestants.
Alongside second place, Thai Anntonia Porsild, 23-year-old Sheynnis Palacios received the crown and sash from her predecessor, American R’Bonney Gabriel. Australian Moraya Wilson came in third place.
This is the first time that Nicaragua has won the Miss Universe contest.
Palacios beat 83 competitors, who participated in the preliminary competitions during the week.
The representative of Nicaragua highlighted in her final response to the jury the importance of equal pay so that women can “work in any field”.
“There is no limit for women,” he said.
Colombian María Camila Avella, 28, became the first mother in the history of the event to be among the five finalists.
In addition to the Colombian, Guatemalan Michelle Cohn was another mother who participated in the contest, in an attempt by the organization to make the event more inclusive.
The Top-20 included the representative of Portugal, trans Marina Machete, as well as the competitor from Nepal, Jane Garret, the first ‘plus size’ candidate in Miss Universe.
In addition to Machete, the contest had the participation of another trans woman, the representative of the Netherlands, Rikkie Valerie Kolle.
The event organizers announced that the next edition of Miss Universe will take place in Mexico.