Nicaragua's Xinyis Palacios is the only Miss Universe who, after winning, has not returned to her country to celebrate the crown in at least 20 years. It has been eight months since Palacios was crowned and yet He confirmed this weekend that he will return to celebrate with the Nicaraguans. And that they are “preparing to arrive in our beautiful country”, there is no specific date.

The Nicaraguan's return has been controversial not only because they did not give a specific date, but because the Miss Universe Organization confirmed that Palacios was in exile and the Nicaraguan later appeared to deny that was the case. “I want to inform you that I am not in exile, I want to inform all the media here that I am not in exile, and the doors of my country are open to celebrate with all Nicaraguans,” she said a few weeks ago. This weekend, Palacios confirmed that “we are preparing to arrive.

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La Prensa reviewed the last 20 years of the beauty pageant and its winners, and Palacios is the only Miss Universe who has not returned to her country to celebrate her victory until now. Most of the winners since 2003 have returned to their countries in the first three months of their reign, where they were welcomed by their country's authorities and followers.

The only beauty queen who took longer to make an official visit to her country was Venezuela's Maria Gabriela Isler, who won the title in November 2013. Isler traveled to Venezuela a month after her coronation, but on a private trip to spend Christmas with her family. Her official visit was scheduled for February 20, but was canceled by the Miss Universe Organization due to the political situation in Venezuela. The Venezuelan spoke out and sent her solidarity to the families who lost loved ones in the protests. Isler was able to return home and celebrate the 11th anniversary of his coronation, in October 2014.

Will Xinyas Palacios return in her time?

Xinyas Palacios’ return to Nicaragua is in doubt for several reasons. On the day she won the Miss Universe title, Nicaraguans took to the streets to celebrate her crown, waving the national flag and chanting her name. This was an unprecedented event in a country where protests are banned and police brutality is rampant.

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After Palacios' victory, the dictatorship exiled the Miss Nicaragua franchisee, Karen Celiberti, and her family. In addition, it censored a mural painted by two artists for the queen in Esteli. The attempt cost Kevin Laguna, known as Fink, and Oscar Parrilla Blandón, known as Torch Mistico, prison terms.

In May, Miss Universe franchisee Anne Jakrajutatip confirmed the departure of Nicaragua's grandmother and brother and said that Daniel Ortega's regime had exiled the beauty queen because of her pageant win and that she would not be able to return to the country “indefinitely” for not submitting to the regime's authoritarian treatment.

Read also: “The doors were never closed in my face”: Xinyas Palacios avoids talking about her exile and says she hopes to return to Nicaragua

Back in three weeks

For the past 20 years, Ximena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010, has been the beauty who returned early to her native Mexico. She won the crown in August of that year and three weeks later celebrated with the Mexican people.

In addition, four beauty queens returned to their countries a month after winning the crown. They are: Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe 2005, Canada; Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, Japan; Stefania Fernandez, Venezuela, Miss Universe 2009, and Pia Wurtzbach, Philippines, Miss Universe 2015.

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In the case of Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and Miss Universe 2022 Raboni Gabrielle, they did not travel because the pageant was held in the United States, where they are both from.