Miss Universe Nicaragua will be crowned in Miami. Here are the 16 candidates
Sixteen candidates for Miss Universe Nicaragua took the stage in Miami on July 17, walking the runway at El Guacalito restaurant in southwest Miami. Each contestant represented one of Nicaragua’s departments or autonomous regions.
The evening celebration featured traditional gallo pinto, music, dancing, and national pride. Organizers announced that the final gala to crown Miss Universe Nicaragua will be held Sept. 4 at the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami.
The candidates aim to show the world that Nicaragua is ready to send a strong contender to the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand — one who can live up to Sheynnis Palacios, who made history in 2023 as the first Nicaraguan to win the Miss Universe title.
This year, the Miss Universe Nicaragua organization relocated its headquarters to Miami after Emporium Agency acquired the national franchise from the international Miss Universe Organization in May. The effort was led by businessman Javier Paxtor, owner of El Guacalito and official sponsor of Miss Universe Nicaragua.
Daniel Guevara, national director of Miss Universe Nicaragua and Emporium Agency, said the team is working to elevate the pageant to a new standard of excellence.
“We want to demonstrate that with vision, organization, and a dedicated team, we can deliver a world-class event that celebrates the beauty, culture, and talent of Nicaraguan women,” Guevara said. “We are ready to make history and position this pageant among the best in the region.”
A team of specialists, led by Venezuelan beauty coach and makeup artist Juan Bautista, is training the candidates for the competition.
Friday’s presentation opened with an appearance by Geyssell García, Miss Universe Nicaragua 2024, who will crown her successor in September. The event was hosted by Joe Palacios and Miss Nicaragua 2022, Norma Huembes.
Meet the Miss Universe Nicaragua candidates
Contestants must be at least 18 years old and either born in Nicaragua or have Nicaraguan parents or grandparents.
Many of this year’s contestants are based in Miami and have previous pageant experience. Among them is Aleida Josefa Pérez, 24, who is representing Chinandega. Pérez holds a degree in political science and international relations from the University of Florida.
With both Cuban and Nicaraguan heritage, Pérez was Miss Earth Cuba 2023 and competed in Miss Universe Cuba 2024 representing Jardines del Rey. She founded the nonprofit Hearts in Mind, which has spearheaded projects including the construction of a school in Cuascoto, a village in Nicaragua’s Rivas department.
Massiel Córdoba Obando, representing Masaya, previously competed in Miss World Latina USA. On Instagram, she described herself as “Pinolera, thank God,” in a post wrapped in the Nicaraguan flag.
Francela Aragón Lara, 28, representing Carazo, was a candidate in Miss Teen Nicaragua 2015.
Other contestants stood out for their modeling experience. Itza Castillo, representing Managua, has worked in commercials, fashion runways, and photo shoots.
Nahomy Hill, 21, representing the South Caribbean Coast autonomous region, describes herself as a model. Maria Fernanda Sequeira, 18, from Boaco, also works as an international model. “Every look tells a story, and this story is about to begin,” she captioned a post after a makeup session with stylist Julio Escudero.
The rest of the candidates
- Alexssandra Montalván, Granada
- Natalia Pedroso, Jinotega
- Glennys Medina Segura, Rivas
- Jhozabeth Centeno, Río San Juan
- Lucía Oliveros, Estelí
- Desireé Estrada, León
- Stephanie Álvarez, Matagalpa
- Yaribeth Gutiérrez, Nueva Segovia
- Alieska González, Chontales
One candidate, Starina Jérez, representing the Caribbean Coast, was absent from the runway presentation. Her 21-year-old sister, Venus Angelina, died unexpectedly in Miami on July 9. Starina and Venus are daughters of opposition leader and former political prisoner Irlanda Jérez.
“Selecting these 16 women was not easy,” said Bautista, who is also the event’s creative director. “The competition is fierce. We had a large pool of highly qualified candidates, and our goal between now and September is to ensure the most prepared woman wins — because she will be the queen of all Nicaragua.”
Venezuelan Dayra Lambis, the 1999 International Coffee Queen, is coaching the candidates on mastering the runway.
“We’re celebrating not only their beauty but also their resilience,” Lambis said. “These young women represent the light, culture, and essence of Nicaragua. They’ve done an incredible job.”
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Miami has also become a hub for other pageant activity. On July 8, Lina Luaces — daughter of Lili Estefan and niece of Emilio and Gloria Estefan — was crowned Miss Universe Cuba at Milander Park in Hialeah.
Telemundo is also searching for a Latina representative from the United States for the Thailand Miss Universe pageant through its reality series Miss Universe Latina.
To learn more about the Miss Universe Nicaragua candidates, visit www.missuniversenic.com.
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Miss Universe Nicaragua will be crowned in Miami. Here are the 16 candidates."
