Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios wins 72nd Miss Universe pageant

Despite financial difficulties the organization's new owner, JKN Global, faced, forcing it to go into financial restructuring, this year's Miss Universe pageant went through as planned.

Held in El Salvador, 90 delegates pit themselves for the ultimate competition in the hopes of winning the title possessed by last year's winner, Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel.

Screengrab from Miss Universe

Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios was crowned the winner of the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, beating the likes of Thailand's Anntonia Porild and Australia's Moraya Wilson.

Asked if she could live one year in another woman's shoes during the Top 3's Q&A portion, Palacios said she would pick Mary Wollstonecraft because "she opened the gap and gave an opportunity to many women... And what I would do, I would want that gap, that income gap, would open up so that women could work in any area that they choose to work in because there are no limitations for women. That was 1750. Now, in 2023, we're making history."

Congratulations to Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios and the finalists of the 72nd Miss Universe pageant!