Podcast

Nicaragua's Miss Universe winner is unable to go back home due to the country's authoritarian regime. In 2018, there was a protest against the government, which led to a brutal crackdown. Despite this, the people of Nicaragua celebrated Miss Palacios' victory. The government congratulated her, but opponents see her as a symbol of hope and defiance. The director of the Miss Nicaragua franchise and Miss Palacios were both involved in the 2018 protest and have been barred from entering the country. The government is paranoid and afraid of anything that doesn't align with them. It is uncertain if Miss Palacios will be allowed to return to Nicaragua. While on her tour as Miss Universe, the Philippines welcomed her with a homecoming parade, providing her with a glimpse of the love and support she was missing. Miss Palacios was grateful for the warm reception and felt like the Philippines was her home. The new Miss Universe is... Nicaragua! The first time a contestant from Nicaragua had claimed the Miss Universe crown. But she can't go back home. Ever since 2018, Nicaragua has lived in a police state. President Daniel Ortega turned Nicaragua into an authoritarian state during his last stunt as president, starting in 2007. In 2018, there was a protest against the government and its president. A protest in which Chinese Palacios publicly posted photos attending that resurfaced shortly after her win. The protest lasted three months before being crushed, with more than 320 people killed. It came as a surprise and triggered spontaneous expressions of the right in the country, said Alvira Cuadra, a Nicaraguan sociologist who lives in Exile in Costa Rica. After years of not even being able to gather for religious reasons, the people of Nicaragua flooded to celebrate the new crowned Miss Universe, finally having something to celebrate. The very government had released a statement congratulating Miss Palacios. However, due to Palacios' part in the 2018 demonstrations, opponents of the regime have taken her up as a symbol of hope and defiance. National pageant director Karen Celebrity and her daughter were barred by authorities from entering the country on Thursday, November 23. Both the director, Karen, and Miss Palacios had taken part in the large anti-government protest in 2018 that the Ortega government viewed as a challenge to its role, which led to a brutal crackdown. Lucero Murillo, his wife and vice president, put out a broadcast ranting about coup plotters who were planning manufactured provocations under the pretext of celebrating Miss Universe. Juan Papier, the America's deputy director at Human Rights Watch, said, The government has shown itself nervous, not out of weakness, but rather paranoia. They are afraid of anything that doesn't fully align with them. Whether Palacios will be allowed to return to Nicaragua is unclear, given that the regime has banned the director of the Miss Nicaragua franchise. Palacios' outfit, a flowing white dress with a blue cape resembling images of Nicaragua's patron saint, the Virgin of Immaculate Conception, a symbolic government crackdown on the Catholic Church. The regime also forced two artists to paint over a mural they had began in her honor in the city of Esteli. Her country may not be able to accept her home, but while on her tour of Asia as Miss Universe, she is shown a glimpse of home. The Miss Universe Philippines organization brought her to Manila and threw her a parade that was dubbed a homecoming to let Palacios know that she can consider the country her home and to give her the experience she still had not had. She had no homecoming parade, so the Philippines doing this became the glimpse of hope she was missing. During the parade, she pulled out her Nicaraguan flag, then cried again while clutching it tightly to her face and chest. She then laid the flag on her gown and continued to return the love she has been getting for the people of Manila. Miss Universe Shanice Palacios shed tears because of the immense love she felt from her Filipino fans at her homecoming. After the parade, she thanked the people for welcoming her to the Philippines and made her feel like it was her home. She also expressed her gratitude for the support and the Miss Universe organization has been receiving from the fans. A miss to me? Well, I cry about my job. You've made me feel glad at my home.