DUBAI: Miss Universe Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios has been crowned the 72nd Miss Universe at the 2023 pageant, held in El Salvador.
Palacios, 23, was named the winner in the early hours of Sunday morning, after days of elimination rounds. She was crowned by the previous year's Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel from the US.
In the final round, she beat Miss Universe Thailand Anntonia Porsild, a Danish-Thai model, to receive the coveted crown created by Lebanese jeweller Mouawad.
Palacios, is a communications graduate and TV presenter. Earlier this year she beat nine other contestants to the Miss Universe Nicaragua title.
Asked in the final round who she would choose to spend a day in the life of, Palacios chose the 18th-century British philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who she said broke boundaries and “gave an opportunity to many women.”
“There are no limitations for women today,” she added, via a translator.
