Software Engineer From Mexico Is New Miss Universe

Andrea Meza of Mexico is Miss Universe 2021.

Meza, who has a software engineering degree, beat out Miss Brazil at the end of the night, screaming Sunday, May 16 (Monday morning, May 17, in Manila) when the announcer shouted “Viva Mexico!”

Previous winner Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa fit the crown on Meza’s head and waited to make sure it would stay in place as Meza beamed and took her first walk to the front of the stage.

Tunzi, a public relations professional who became the first Black woman from South Africa to win the contest, had held the title since December 2019. Last year’s ceremony was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Julia Gama of Brazil is first runner-up, followed by Janick Macera of Peru (second runner-up), Adline Castelino of India (third runner-up), and Kimberly Jimenez of Dominican Republic (fourth runner-up).

Meza, also a model, make-up artist and activist for women’s rights in Mexico, bested 73 other candidates from all over the world to become the new Miss Universe.

In the final statement round, Meza was asked to speak about the changing beauty standards.

“We live in a society that more and more is more than advanced, and as we advance as a society, we’ve also advanced with stereotypes,” Meza said through her translator.

“Nowadays beauty isn’t only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirit, but in our hearts and the way that we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you’re not valuable.”

Meza is from Chihuahua City, according to the Miss Universe organization’s press release. As an activist, she “works closely with the Municipal Institute for Women, which aims to end gender-based violence,” the release said.

Meza, who is turning 27 on Aug. 13,  likewise serves as the official tourism brand ambassador for her hometown of Chihuahua.

In the question and answer portion of the competition, Meza was asked, “If you were the leader of your country, how would you have handled the COVID-19 pandemic?”

She answered, “I believe there is not a perfect way to handle this harsh situation such as COVID-19. However, I believe what I would have done was create the lockdown even before everything was that big. Because we lost so many lives. And we cannot afford that. We lost so many people. That’s why I would have taken care of them since the beginning.” 

‘Our people are dying’

Myanmar’s Miss Universe contestant, Thuzar Wint Lwin, used the pageant on Sunday to urge the world to speak out against the military junta, whose security forces have killed hundreds of opponents since it seized power in a Feb. 1 coup.

"Our people are dying and being shot by the military every day," she said in a video message for the competition, where she was appearing in the finals.

"I would like to urge everyone to speak about Myanmar. As Miss Universe Myanmar since the coup, I have been speaking out as much as I can," she added.

Myanmar's junta spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment.

Thuzar Wint Lwin is among dozens of Myanmar celebrities, actors, social media influencers and sports people who have voiced opposition to the coup, in which elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown and detained.

At least 790 people have been killed by security forces since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. It says over 5,000 people have been arrested, with some 4,000 still detained - including several celebrities.

Thuzar Wint Lwin did not make it to the last round of the Miss Universe competition, but she won the award for Best National Costume, which was based on the ethnic costume of her Chin people from northwestern Myanmar, where fighting has raged in recent days between the army and anti-junta militia fighters.

As she paraded with her national costume, she held up a placard that said "Pray for Myanmar.”

This year’s Miss Universe pageant – technically the 2020 edition of the contest – was delayed for a few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also prompted some changes in the format in this year’s pageant. The traditional contestant introductions were scrapped and replaced by recorded videos of each contestant introducing themselves. The personal statement section – done for Top 20 contestants during the Miss Universe 2019 pageant – was also scrapped.

During the pageant’s pre-pageant activities, the 74 women of the Miss Universe pageant could be seen wearing face masks. The pageant, held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, had few and scattered audience members in the venue, a sign of the loosening social distancing restrictions in the United States.

The pageant was hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Mario Lopez and actress-model Olivia Culpo, the 2012 Miss Universe.

Ahead of the pageant, Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, stated that they had spent months planning a safe competition that followed similar guidelines as last November’s 2020 Miss USA competition held in Memphis.