Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios Crowned Miss Universe

The 23-year-old communicologist, who advocates for mental health, becomes the first Nicaraguan to win the title.

Sheynnis Palacios, Miss Nicaragua, has won the Miss Universe competition, marking the first time a contestant from Nicaragua has claimed the title.
Palacios is a 23-year-old communicologist who advocates for mental health, having experienced severe anxiety herself.
During the competition, Palacios expressed her admiration for Mary Wollstonecraft, an 18th-century advocate for women's rights, and voiced her desire to close the gender wage gap.
The competition was held in El Salvador, where it had last been hosted in 1975.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who is running for reelection despite constitutional term limits, used the event to highlight improvements made under his administration, particularly in terms of safety.