Nicaragua Explainer: Why is the Daniel Ortega Government Feuding With Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios?

Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios's big win at the Miss Universe beauty pageant in El Salvador should have brought Nicaragua national pride. However, the regime under dictator Daniel Ortega is treating her like a pariah.

Initially, the Ortega regime was actually very happy when she won, celebrating her victory as any government would when a countryman brings national pride and honor to their country. The government even called her their "legitimate joy and pride."

However, things changed when it surfaced that the new Miss Universe, the first Nicaraguan to ever win the prestigious title, actually took part in the 2018 anti-Ortega protests that the regime put down violently, leading to several protesters being killed with some of its leaders being either exiled or imprisoned in some of the world's most inhumane prisons.

Her win as Nicaragua's first-ever Miss Universe was initially met with celebrations on the street. Now, celebrating her win could be tantamount to protesting against the government and landing someone in jail. This all stemmed when photos of the beauty queen when she was still a university student surfaced. She was seen marching with other protesters against Ortega's Sandinista government.

This was followed by some of Nicaragua's exiled opposition leaders, including Rev. Silvio Báez, an exiled priest, who praised her by posting on social media, "Thank you for bringing joy to our long-suffering country! Thank you for giving us hope for a better future for our beautiful country!"

It did not take long for the government to sour on Palacios, with Vice President Rosario Murillo, the wife of Daniel Ortega, blasting the opposition leaders praising her. Soon, this spiraled into the government looking for excuses why an anti-Ortega protester was the one representing Nicaragua. This soon turned into the country taking aim at the Miss Nicaragua organization itself.

Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega Regime Accuses Beauty Pageant Organizer of Organizing a Coup

How did the Nicaraguan government explain why the first-ever Nicaraguan Miss Universe turned out to be an Ortega critic? They claimed it was all the Miss Nicaragua organization's fault for allowing an anti-Ortega candidate to win, going as far as accusing its director of committing a coup without any solid evidence against her.

This led to Miss Nicaragua director Karen Celebertti, a former beauty queen herself, being investigated by police, raiding her home, arresting her husband and child, and barring her entry when she arrived home after the Miss Universe pageant.

According to the Washington Post, she is accused by the regime of using "spaces supposedly dedicated to promoting 'innocent' beauty pageants," in a foreign-backed plot to boost the opposition. This was the latest bout of paranoia from the Nicaraguan government which has suppressed all forms of dissent, from opposition parties all the way to its ongoing feud with the Roman Catholic Church.

Sheynnis Palacios Won Miss Universe With Intelligence and Charisma

Despite what the Nicaraguan government is currently saying about her, Sheynnis Palacios's win as the new Miss Universe is a mild surprise for many as she was not even one of the Top 3 favorites to win it all. However, she managed to wow many with her stunning looks, as well as her intelligent answers.

The 23-year-old was born on November 24, 1995, in Chinandega. She is currently traveling the world and doing her duties as Miss Universe. She has not gotten home since her win yet, but given her government's treatment of critics, that might not happen soon.

Taking up mental health and social justice causes, Marca noted that it was her intelligence and charisma that netted her a rather unlikely win.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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