Latest news with #MissUniverseCuba
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lina Luaces, daughter of Univision star Lili Estefan, is crowned Miss Universe Cuba
Miss Universe Cuba has a new queen named Lina Luaces, a 22-year-old model born in Miami, who comes from Cuban-American royalty. Luaces represented Santiago de Cuba, the city where her mother, Univision host Lili Estefan, and her uncle, music producer and businessman Emilio Estefan, were born. 'Being Cuban is my blood, my strength, my voice, my greatest pride,' Luaces said on July 8 on the stage at Milander Park, where she was chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand on Nov. 21. The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 gala was hosted by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua, and Carlos Adyan of Puerto Rico, host of 'En Casa con Telemundo.' SEE MORE: Take a look at Miss Universe Cuba 2025, where a Miami native was crowned The ceremony also paid tribute to the outgoing queen, Marialena Ancheta, the first Miss Universe Cuba in 57 years, who represented Cubans in Miss Universe 2024. She was in charge of crowning Luaces, who will also be the queen of the celebrations for the centennial of the city of Hialeah. Luaces was joined in final round of the top three by Lisbeth Fernández, from Pinar del Río, and Vanessa Villareal, from the Eastern Region. 'Cuba has a lot of talent to give to the world,' said Villarreal, in response to the jury's question to the three finalists about why they should be chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant. 'Cuban is synonymous with excellence,' said Villarreal, who followed a strict diet and exercise plan before the competition. 'My strong suit now is my self-esteem. I've raised it a lot. I feel like I can achieve anything I want,' Villarreal said in a previous interview with El Nuevo Herald. Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, national director of Miss Universe Cuba, said he observed a special quality in Villarreal as she prepared for the pageant with the other 16 candidates. In the round of five finalists, Sheila Laza (Central Region) and Mia Donadio (Isla de la Juventud) also qualified, the latter winning Miss Popularity for getting the most votes from the public through the Miss Universe Cuba platforms. Donadio was also recognized for having the best skin, according to Snatched Plastic Surgery, one of the sponsors of Miss Universe Cuba. Meanwhile, Laza, who arrived from Cuba at age 13 and entered beauty pageants in Houston and competed in the 2018 edition of 'Nuestra Belleza Latina,' won the award for best face, selected by Le Belle MD, a spa that has worked with Cuban beauty queens since the pageant's first edition. Luaces spoke to the press after the gala and thanked her family, 'who sacrificed so much for me to be here and achieve this for Cuba.' She also responded to comments made by people on social media that she won the Miss Universe Cuba title because she belongs to the Estefan family. 'Everyone can have their opinion, but my family doesn't get up at six in the morning every day to go to the gym, or to attend Spanish, public speaking, and catwalk classes for almost 13 hours a day. I know everyone is going to have their opinion, but I believe in myself,' she said. Luaces began ballet at an early age and began modeling at 15. She was then signed by Mexican modeling agency Paragon Model Management. Last February, she modeled for several designers at New York Fashion Week. 'It fills me with pride to see her enjoying our culture, our traditions,' said her mother, Lili Estefan when Lina participated in the first casting call for Miss Universe Cuba in April. The rules of Miss Universe Cuba allow candidates to be born in Cuba or of Cuban descent, as is the case with Lina. 'Today Cuba celebrates its queen. Today we crown not only a beautiful woman, but a symbol of strength, elegance, and determination,' the Miss Universe Cuba organization celebrated on its Instagram platform.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Take a look at Miss Universe Cuba 2025, where a Miami native was crowned
Miss Universe Cuba has a new queen named Lina Luaces, a 21-year-old model born in Miami, who comes from Cuban-American royalty. Luaces represented Santiago de Cuba, the city where her mother, Univision host Lili Estefan, and her uncle, music producer and businessman Emilio Estefan, were born. The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 gala was hosted by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua, and Carlos Adyan of Puerto Rico, host of 'En Casa con Telemundo.' The ceremony also paid tribute to the outgoing queen, Marialena Ancheta, the first Miss Universe Cuba in 57 years, who represented Cubans in Miss Universe 2024. She was in charge of crowning Luaces, who will also be the queen of the celebrations for the centennial of the city of Hialeah. Take a look at images from Miss Universe Cuba 2025. Read more: Lina Luaces, daughter of Univision star Lili Estefan, is crowned Miss Universe Cuba
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Lina Luaces, daughter of Univision star Lili Estefan, is crowned Miss Universe Cuba
Miss Universe Cuba has a new queen named Lina Luaces, a 21-year-old model born in Miami, who comes from Cuban-American royalty. Luaces represented Santiago de Cuba, the city where her mother, Univision host Lili Estefan, and her uncle, music producer and businessman Emilio Estefan, were born. 'Being Cuban is my blood, my strength, my voice, my greatest pride,' Luaces said on July 8 on the stage at Milander Park, where she was chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand on Nov. 21. The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 gala was hosted by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua, and Carlos Adyan of Puerto Rico, host of 'En Casa con Telemundo.' The ceremony also paid tribute to the outgoing queen, Marialena Ancheta, the first Miss Universe Cuba in 57 years, who represented Cubans in Miss Universe 2024. She was in charge of crowning Luaces, who will also be the queen of the celebrations for the centennial of the city of Hialeah. Miss Universe Cuba finalists Luaces was joined in final round of the top three by Lisbeth Fernández, from Pinar del Río, and Vanessa Villareal, from the Eastern Region. 'Cuba has a lot of talent to give to the world,' said Villarreal, in response to the jury's question to the three finalists about why they should be chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant. 'Cuban is synonymous with excellence,' said Villarreal, who followed a strict diet and exercise plan before the competition. 'My strong suit now is my self-esteem. I've raised it a lot. I feel like I can achieve anything I want,' Villarreal said in a previous interview with El Nuevo Herald. Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, national director of Miss Universe Cuba, said he observed a special quality in Villarreal as she prepared for the pageant with the other 16 candidates. In the round of five finalists, Sheila Laza (Central Region) and Mia Donadio (Isla de la Juventud) also qualified, the latter winning Miss Popularity for getting the most votes from the public through the Miss Universe Cuba platforms. Donadio was also recognized for having the best skin, according to Snatched Plastic Surgery, one of the sponsors of Miss Universe Cuba. Meanwhile, Laza, who arrived from Cuba at age 13 and entered beauty pageants in Houston and competed in the 2018 edition of 'Nuestra Belleza Latina,' won the award for best face, selected by Le Belle MD, a spa that has worked with Cuban beauty queens since the pageant's first edition. 'I believe in myself' Luaces spoke to the press after the gala and thanked her family, 'who sacrificed so much for me to be here and achieve this for Cuba.' She also responded to comments made by people on social media that she won the Miss Universe Cuba title because she belongs to the Estefan family. 'Everyone can have their opinion, but my family doesn't get up at six in the morning every day to go to the gym, or to attend Spanish, public speaking, and catwalk classes for almost 13 hours a day. I know everyone is going to have their opinion, but I believe in myself,' she said. Luaces began ballet at an early age and began modeling at 15. She was then signed by Mexican modeling agency Paragon Model Management. Last February, she modeled for several designers at New York Fashion Week. 'It fills me with pride to see her enjoying our culture, our traditions,' said her mother, Lili Estefan when Lina participated in the first casting call for Miss Universe Cuba in April. The rules of Miss Universe Cuba allow candidates to be born in Cuba or of Cuban descent, as is the case with Lina. 'Today Cuba celebrates its queen. Today we crown not only a beautiful woman, but a symbol of strength, elegance, and determination,' the Miss Universe Cuba organization celebrated on its Instagram platform.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miss Universe Cuba pageant to be held in Hialeah — and you can go for free
The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 pageant will be held on July 8 at Milander Park in Hialeah in a grand ceremony where a new queen will be chosen to represent Cubans at Miss Universe. Marianela Ancheta, Miss Universe Cuba 2024, will present the crown to the young woman chosen among the 17 candidates to participate in the international pageant on Nov. 21 in Thailand. Miss Universe Cuba will be broadcast from 7 to 9 p.m. on Mega TV and on the Miss Universe Cuba YouTube channel, where the public can peruse videos about each of the candidates. Free tickets are available for anyone who wants to attend, as well as paid tickets for the VIP area. Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, director of Miss Universe Cuba, announced that it will be 'a quality show with impeccable production in which the candidates and our outgoing queen are the stars.' The host will be Puerto Rican TV presenter Carlos Adyan, part of the 'En Casa con Telemundo' team, who recently hosted the Miss Peru 2025 contest for the second consecutive year, in which Marianela Ancheta served as a member of the jury. Miss Universe Cuba 2025 will also be the queen of the city of Hialeah, César said, indicating that the winner will participate in the events celebrating the city's centennial. This year, several Miss Universe contestants will be chosen in Miami. Miss Nicaragua's pageant takes place in Miami, as does Miss Universe Latina, a reality show on Telemundo in which a young woman of Latin origin from the United States will be chosen to participate in Thailand. The process of selecting the Miss Universe Cuba contestants began in January, and has been more 'relaxed,' said César, because they had more time. Last year's pageant came together in only a few months because César was awarded the rights to run Miss Universe Cuba in late April of 2024. 'There's no less pressure, because the day I stop feeling the pressure, I stop feeling the commitment,' said César. Among this year's 17 candidates, who each represent the region of Cuba where they were born or to which they have ties, is Lina Luaces, a 21-year-old model born in Miami who is the daughter of Univision presenter Lili Estefan. Lina represents Santiago de Cuba, the place where her uncle, Emilio Estefan, was born, and where the first Miss Cuba, Gladys López, who represented the country at Miss Universe in 1952, was from. 'I understood that with love, discipline, responsibility, and above all, resilience, you begin to achieve your goals. I understood that exercise and training have to be part of my life,' Lina said on her Instagram profile about the preparation for becoming a queen. She changed her hair color and learned to appreciate the importance of makeup, although she confessed she's never been one to wear a lot of makeup. Mia Donadio Cancio, who represents the Isle of Youth, is a Florida International University (FIU) graduate with a degree in International Relations who, from the outset, expressed her desire to speak out against the situation Cubans face on the island. 'I don't want to be the most beautiful woman in the world, but the one who says it the loudest: I want to tell you what's happening in Cuba,' she wrote on her Instagram profile when she learned she was selected for Miss Universe Cuba. Donadio was among those who received the most votes from the public for her presentation video, along with Lianet Aguilera Sarmiento (Holguín); Lina Luaces; Deneb Morales (Villa Clara) and Sheila Laza (Central Region). Laza acknowledged that the biggest challenge for her in preparing was having to lose more than 20 pounds, and to do so she stopped eating carbohydrates completely, and as a Caribbean woman, she missed rice a lot, she said. With experience in beauty pageants in Houston, where she settled with her family upon arriving from Cuba at age 13, Laza feels very comfortable on the catwalk and speaking in front of crowds. 'My mission is to amplify the voices of a Cuban people who have been silenced for years by the doctrines of a dictatorship,' she said. 'Many young people like me have their wings clipped; they can't dream,' she said. Laza, who competed in Nuestra Belleza Latina in 2018, when Venezuelan Migbelis Castellanos won, wants to use her platform to bring attention to environmental issues, particularly reforestation. 'I would like to be an example of success and inspiration for young Cuban women and show that beauty, intelligence, talent, and determination can open many doors,' Laza said. The rest of the contestants are Romy Caridad Alvarez (Camagüey); Ariday Villar (Ciego de Avila); Emely Artabe (Cienfuegos); Katy Nuñez Diaz (Granma); Mary Rodriguez (Guantanamo); Indiana Williams (Havana); Claudia Fernandez Acebo (Matanzas); Anabella Urquiola (Mayabeque); Lisbeth Fernandez (Pinar del Rio); Glenda Verdecia (Western Region); Vanessa Villareal (Eastern Region) and Stefany Parli (Sancti Spiritus). As her reign as Miss Universe Cuba comes to a close, Ancheta reflected on the past year. 'We've tried to be involved in everything, to spread the word about Cuba everywhere,' Ancheta told el Nuevo Herald. 'I feel that one of the most important things about all this is that Cuban girls and women are seeing this new dream, this new life that Cuban women can have.' 'This is one of the years in which I have grown the most in my entire life. It was full of learning, and I have met wonderful people,' Ancheta said of her reign. Miss Universe Cuba 2024 modeled for designer Giannina Azar during Miami Fashion Week in November, and participated in the video for 'La guagua,' from Gente de Zona's new album about the most popular musical genre on the island, el reparto. Ancheta notes that her life has changed, and now she doesn't feel comfortable going out without looking her best. At the same time, she's happy to chat with people on the street and is always up for a photo, even if they catch her in the middle of a dinner party. When she says goodbye to the crown, she plans to work toward her dream of working in television. She's also continuing to develop her skincare line, Arma Face Skincare, and wants to connect models and influencers with renowned brands through her own fashion and beauty-related advertising project. General admission to Miss Universe Cuba is free, but VIP tickets can be purchased at and a raffle is available for two tickets on the Miss Universe Cuba Instagram profile.
Miami Herald
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Miss Universe Cuba pageant to be held in Hialeah — and you can go for free
The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 pageant will be held on July 8 at Milander Park in Hialeah in a grand ceremony where a new queen will be chosen to represent Cubans at Miss Universe. Marianela Ancheta, Miss Universe Cuba 2024, will present the crown to the young woman chosen among the 17 candidates to participate in the international pageant on Nov. 21 in Thailand. Miss Universe Cuba will be broadcast from 7 to 9 p.m. on Mega TV and on the Miss Universe Cuba YouTube channel, where the public can peruse videos about each of the candidates. Free tickets are available for anyone who wants to attend, as well as paid tickets for the VIP area. Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, director of Miss Universe Cuba, announced that it will be 'a quality show with impeccable production in which the candidates and our outgoing queen are the stars.' The host will be Puerto Rican TV presenter Carlos Adyan, part of the 'En Casa con Telemundo' team, who recently hosted the Miss Peru 2025 contest for the second consecutive year, where Marianela Ancheta served as a part of the jury. Miss Universe Cuba 2025 will also be the queen of the city of Hialeah, said César, indicating that the winner will participate in the events celebrating the city's centennial. This year, several Miss Universe contestants will be chosen in Miami. Miss Nicaragua's pageant takes place in Miami, as well as Miss Universe Latina, a reality show on Telemundo where where a young woman of Latin origin from the United States will be chosen to participate in Thailand. Miss Universe Cuba 2025 Candidates The process of selecting the Miss Universe Cuba contestants began in January, and has been more 'relaxed,' said César, because they had more time. Last year's pageant came together in only a few months because César was awarded the rights to run Miss Universe Cuba in late April of 2024. 'There's no less pressure, because the day I stop feeling the pressure, I stop feeling the commitment,' said César. Among this year's 17 candidates, who each represent the region of Cuba where they were born or to which they have ties, is Lina Luaces, a 21-year-old model born in Miami who is the daughter of Univision presenter Lili Estefan. Lina represents Santiago de Cuba, the place where her uncle, Emilio Estefan, was born, and where the first Miss Cuba, Gladys López, who represented the country at Miss Universe in 1952, was from. 'I understood that with love, discipline, responsibility, and above all, resilience, you begin to achieve your goals. I understood that exercise and training have to be part of my life,' Lina said on her Instagram profile about the preparation for becoming a queen. She changed her hair color and learned to appreciate the importance of makeup, although she confessed, 'I have not been a woman who wears a lot of makeup.' Mia Donadio Cancio, who represents the Isle of Youth, is a Florida International University (FIU) graduate with a degree in International Relations who, from the outset, expressed her desire to speak out against the situation Cubans face on the island. 'I don't want to be the most beautiful woman in the world, but the one who says it the loudest: I want to tell you what's happening in Cuba,' she wrote on her Instagram profile when she learned she was selected for Miss Universe Cuba. Donadio was among those who received the most votes from the public for her presentation video, along with Lianet Aguilera Sarmiento (Holguín); Lina Luaces; Deneb Morales (Villa Clara) and Sheila Laza (Central Region). Laza acknowledged that the biggest challenge for her in the preparation having to lose more than 20 pounds, and to do so she stopped eating carbohydrates completely, and as a Caribbean woman, she missed rice a lot, she said. With experience in beauty pageants in Houston, where she settled with her family upon arriving from Cuba at age 13, Laza feels very comfortable on the catwalk and speaking in front of crowds. 'My mission is to amplify the voices of a Cuban people who have been silenced for years by the doctrines of a dictatorship,' she said. 'Many young people like me have their wings clipped; they can't dream,' she said. Laza, who competed in Nuestra Belleza Latina in 2018, when Venezuelan Migbelis Castellanos won, wants to use her platform to bring attention to environmental issues, particularly reforestation. 'I would like to be an example of success and inspiration for young Cuban women and show that beauty, intelligence, talent, and determination can open many doors,' Laza said. The rest of the contestants are Romy Caridad Alvarez (Camagüey); Ariday Villar (Ciego de Avila); Emely Artabe (Cienfuegos); Katy Nuñez Diaz (Granma); Mary Rodriguez (Guantanamo); Indiana Williams (Havana); Claudia Fernandez Acebo (Matanzas); Anabella Urquiola (Mayabeque); Lisbeth Fernandez (Pinar del Rio); Glenda Verdecia (Western Region); Vanessa Villareal (Eastern Region) and Stefany Parli (Sancti Spiritus). Outgoing queen As her reign as Miss Universe Cuba comes to a close, Ancheta reflected on the past year. 'We've tried to be involved in everything, to spread the word about Cuba everywhere,' Ancheta told el Nuevo Herald. 'I feel that one of the most important things about all this is that Cuban girls and women are seeing this new dream, this new life that Cuban women can have.' 'This is one of the years in which I have grown the most in my entire life. It was full of learning, and I have met wonderful people,' Ancheta said of her reign. Miss Universe Cuba 2024 modeled for designer Giannina Azar during Miami Fashion Week in November, and participated in the video for 'La guagua,' from Gente de Zona's new album about the most popular musical genre on the island, el reparto. Ancheta notes that her life has changed, and now she doesn't feel comfortable going out without looking her best. At the same time, she's happy to chat with people on the street and is always up for a photo, even if they catch her in the middle of a dinner party. When she says goodbye to the crown, she plans to work toward her dream of working in television. She's also continuing to develop her skincare line, Arma Face Skincare, and wants to connect models and influencers with renowned brands through her own fashion and beauty-related advertising project. General admission to Miss Universe Cuba is free, but VIP tickets can be purchased at and you can also enter a raffle for two tickets on the Miss Universe Cuba Instagram profile.
