Sheynnis Palacios Makes History As The First Miss Nicaragua To Be Crowned Miss Universe

Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, made history as the first Nicaraguan to be crowned Miss Universe 2023. The announcement unfolded dramatically with a spotlight on her and Miss Thailand, culminating in a victorious "Nicaragua!"

The 72nd Miss Universe was visibly moved, tearing up as last year's winner, USA's R'Bonney Gabriel, placed the crown upon her. This historic win marks Nicaragua's fifth semi-final appearance and the first win.

Palacios, who debuted in beauty pageants in 2016, emphasized equal pay for women and celebrated her triumph on X. The pageant featured an all-female hosting team and inclusivity with married women, mothers, and trans women competing.

A fresh Miss Universe emerged victorious on Saturday as Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, claimed the prestigious crown during the competition at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The announcement unfolded in a dramatic moment as Miss Nicaragua and Miss Thailand, standing hand in hand, awaited the result in the dimmed venue. With a spotlight on the two finalists, a voice finally declared, "Nicaragua!" crowning the 23-year-old beauty.

The 72nd Miss Universe, visibly moved by her triumph, teared up and raised her trembling hands to her face amid the cheers from the crowd.

As the night went on, last year's winner, R'Bonney Gabriel, placed the crown upon Palacios, marking the official transition of the Miss Universe title. Miss Thailand secured the second position as the first runner-up, while Miss Australia came third in the competition.

Palacios's victory makes her the first Nicaraguan to claim the Miss Universe title and marks the country's fifth appearance in the semi-finals.

Celebrating her win, the new Miss Universe took to X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing several images adorned with her crown. The caption, "Hello Universe," was posted in English, accompanied by a message in Spanish acknowledging the historic moment for Nicaraguans.

According to People magazine, The latest Miss Universe, who hails from Managua, Nicaragua, holds a degree in mass communications and boasts a varsity volleyball background from Universidad Centroamericana.

She ventured into beauty pageants in 2016, clinching the Miss Teen Nicaragua title. Her victory continued with the Miss World Nicaragua crown in 2020, leading to her representation in the Miss World 2021 competition, where she clinched a spot in the top 40.

During the question segment of the competition, Palacios was posed with the query: "If you could live one year in another woman's shoes, who would you choose and why?"

In her response, Palacios insightfully chose Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century British writer and women's rights advocate. She expressed her admiration for opening opportunities for women, sharing: "I would choose Mary Wollstonecraft because she opened the gap and gave an opportunity to many women."

Through an interpreter, she emphasized the goal of eliminating income gaps and allowing women to work in any field without limitations. 

She went on to highlight the progress made since the 1750s, stating, "I would want that income gap [to] open up so that women could work in any area they choose to work in because there are no limitations for women. That was the 1750s. Now in 2023, we're making history."

In her final response to the jury, Palacios emphasized the significance of gender-neutral pay structures, advocating for women's unrestricted access to various professional areas. "There is no limit for women," she passionately stated.

While adding to the evening's list of firsts, the pageant was hosted by an all-female team, including Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and TV personalities Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Maria Menounos, marking a historic moment as the first time the show had an all-female set of hosts.

Notably, the pageant also embraced inclusivity by allowing married women and mothers to compete for the first time in its history. Per CNN affiliate WLWT5, the international competition also featured two openly trans women, Marina Machete from Portugal and Rikkie Kollé from the Netherlands.

The night also featured a performance by John Legend, with his wife Chrissy Teigen sharing updates on her Instagram Story from her seat in the audience.