CNN –
Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was crowned Miss Universe 2023 at the climax of the annual beauty pageant held Saturday evening in El Salvador’s capital San Salvador. Anntonia Porsild from Thailand took first place.
The winners of the national competitions from 84 countries took part in the Miss Universe pageant this year. The jury included model Halima Aden, “Queer Eye” star Carson Kressley, TikTok influencer Avani Gregg and two former Miss Universe winners, Janelle Commissiong from Trinidad and Tobago (Miss Universe 1977) and Iris Mittenaere from France (Miss Universe 2016 ).
Twenty semi-finalists were announced at the start of negotiations on Saturday evening following the results of the preliminary competition (and a global fan vote). After the swimsuit round, the field was reduced to 10 people – the first “curvy” contestant to make it to the semi-finals of the competition, Miss Nepal, and the first contestant to choose a burkini as a swimsuit, Miss Pakistan, were eliminated. The evening dress round halved the number of participants again.
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Sheynnis Palacios, Miss Nicaragua, competes in the evening gown round. Her look featured intricate beading and an extravagant floor-length cape.
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For the swimsuit round, Palacios wore a two-piece with delicate floral ruffles.
Two rounds of questions and answers on current topics then left only three women in the race: Palacios, Porsild and second place Moraya Wilson from Australia.
When asked in the final round who she would spend a day in her life with, Palacios chose 18th-century British philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who she said pushed boundaries and “gave a lot of women a chance.”
“There are no restrictions for women today,” she added through a translator.
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A newly crowned Palacios waves to the audience in attendance at the finals of the Miss Universe pageant.
Miss Colombia, Camila Avella, and Miss Puerto Rico, Karla Guilfú, completed the top five, while another member of the top 10, Spain’s Athenea Pérez, was crowned the competition’s Miss Congeniality.
Palacios succeeds Miss Universe 2022, R’Bonney Gabriel from the USA.