Last year, Sheynnis Palacios, winner of the 2023 Miss Universe pageant, made history as the first winner of the pageant from Nicaragua and Central America. Despite being the most well-traveled winner in the pageant's 73-year history, she couldn't return to her homeland to celebrate her victory, following past criticisms of President Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista government.
Currently, Palacios resides with her family in a luxurious New York apartment, where pageant winners traditionally stay to fulfill their obligations to the international franchise. Once she relinquishes her title on November 16 in Mexico, she plans to move to Miami, Florida.
Wherever she goes, her family will follow, as they are her number one priority, and will never leave them behind.
Sheynnis, who comes from a modest background, is close to her mother Raquel Cornejo, her father Edgar Palacios, her younger brother, her older brother, and her grandmother—who recently left Nicaragua to reunite with her.
Her Venezuelan trainer and former baseball player, Carlos Gómez, also plays a significant role in her life, as he recently confirmed that they were in a relationship.
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'Miss Buñuelo'
At 24, Palacios studied Social Communication at the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) through a scholarship, but she sold buñuelos, a traditional Nicaraguan treat made from cassava and yuca, to help cover travel and food expenses.
During her student years, she joined peaceful protests against the Sandinista dictatorship—a stance that reportedly led to reprisals from the government after her win as Miss Nicaragua 2023.
Pro-government media attempted to discredit her by calling her "Miss Buñuelo," referencing her entrepreneurial efforts to pay for her studies.
Will She Go Back to Nicaragua?
Though she has clarified she is not in exile, she stated she won't return to Nicaragua for several years, with plans to settle in Miami with her partner, Gómez, a former baseball player who joined the Venezuelan community there years ago.
Currently, Sheynnis is in Mexico City, enjoying her last days as Miss Universe and meeting with contestants for the upcoming Miss Universe competition.
"Humility and gratitude for the small things—that's where the real value lies. It's the essence of being human. Thank you for this welcome," she shared in an Instagram post, along with a photo enjoying the view from her room.
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