By: Lidia Evita, Staff Writer for World Liberty TV

Sheynnis Palacios is a 23-year-old mental health advocate and audiovisual producer from Managua, Nicaragua. She usually prefers to be behind the camera, but she’s come out of the wings because she believes in finding solutions for as many of the world’s problems as she can.

As a problem-solving kind of person, she put herself through the communications program at her university by working in her mom’s snack business.

When the business faltered in an economic crisis, her mother migrated north to find a better job, and she became the economic and emotional support for her grandmother and young brother. Her cause this year will be mental health, which stems from her own experiences with anxiety.

Coming from a country where this issue is rarely addressed, she started an accessible initiative called “Understand Your Mind,” in which she interviews a specialist on emotional care in her television segments.

She has also produced events and other audiovisual projects on this theme. Her goal in life is to work in the service of humanity, by running a newsroom and producing content and commercials for international brands.

In her spare time, she rescues cats and dogs, and loves a good mental game and puzzle. Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios won the Miss Universe competition late Saturday night in El Salvador, the first to wear the crown from her country.

Palacios is a 23-year-old communicologist, who said she wants to work to promote mental health after suffering debilitating bouts of anxiety herself.

Miss Thailand, Anntonia Porsild, was first runner-up and Miss Australia, Moraya Wilson, the second runner-up.

Palacios appeared to secure the win when she confidently answered the question of which woman’s shoes would she like to spend a year in by saying Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century English writer and philosopher. Wollstonecraft was an advocate of women’s rights and is considered one of the forerunners of feminism. Palacios said she wants to work to close the salary gap between the genders so that women can work in any area.

Miss Universe was last held in El Salvador in 1975. This year’s event was another opportunity for President Nayib Bukele to tout changes made under his administration, especially greatly improving the country’s safety.

“El Salvador has changed for good and we have shown it again,” Bukele said Saturday night. “Miss Universe has given us the opportunity to show the world what we are capable of. Thank you for choosing to be part of El Salvador’s rebirth.”

Bukele is running for reelection despite constitutional term limits and is widely popular for his crackdown on the country’s gangs. But he has faced international criticism for eroding checks and balances on his power and not respecting human rights.

More than 72,000 people have been arrested without due process since a state of emergency was declared in March 2022 in response to a surge in gang violence. The special powers it granted Bukele remain in place.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios at the Empire State Building New York city on the 86^th floor. See her exclusive interview in our World Liberty TV , Fashion Channels by clicking here.