Miss Universe Cuba now has its 20 official candidates who will compete in Hialeah this summer to see who goes to the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand in November.
The winner will also receive another title this year: Queen of the 100th Anniversary of the City of Hialeah. Last year, Hialeah hosted the first Miss Universe Cuba contest with Marianela Ancheta winning the crown.
The search for the most beautiful Cuban woman began in January, with 250 applicants. Twenty-five finalists were selected, and on Thursday, the finalists were narrowed down to 20 after three in-person auditions, the last held on April 30 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Doral. This year’s contestants features a mix of well-known faces and social media darlings. In addition to charm and communication skills, Miss Universe Cuba contestants must either have been born on the island or have one parent that is Cuban.
Daughter of a Cuban celebrity in Miss Universe
The judges this year included last year’s Miss Universe Cuba, Marianela Ancheta; stylist Carlos Sigas; Gallia Vega, a fitness model and candidate for Miss Universe Cuba in 2024; Miguel Ángel García, official makeup artist for Miss Venezuela; Tenay Rodríguez, influencer, businesswoman, and television presenter, who was part of the panel of judges that selected Miss Universe Cuba last year; makeup artist Eugenio Rodríguez; and photographer Michel Milian, who took the photos of Ancheta wearing the Ochún-themed outfit she wore on the preliminary night of the Miss Universe pageant .
“Congratulations to each and every one of you, the new Miss Universe Cuba 2025 candidates,” said Ancheta at the Thursday event, dressed in a black skirt with matching floral details and a white blouse. “I celebrate and embrace you, because I know what you’re feeling today… the nerves, the excitement, the dreams. Cuba deserves to shine, and together we can make its light reach further than ever.”…