The Mexican model and beauty queen was crowned the winner after last year's pageant was delayed due to the pandemic.
And the new Miss Universe is...Miss Mexico, Andrea Meza! Meza was crowned this year's Miss Universe at Sunday night's pageant at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The new Miss Universe beat out beauty queens from 73 countries and territories Sunday night, including runner-up, Miss Brazil, Julia Gama, and third place winner, Miss Peru, Janick Maceta.
The pageant had been delayed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a topic that that Meza was asked about in the final question round.
"I believe there is not a perfect way to handle this hard situation such as COVID-19," she told the judges. "However, I believe that what I would have done, was create the lockdown even before everything was that big because we lost so many lives and we cannot afford that. We have to take care of our people. That's why I would have taken care of them since the beginning."
Miss Mexico also addressed the topic of changing beauty standards during a final statement, stressing that beauty goes beyond looks.
"We live in a society that more and more is more advanced and as we have advanced as a society, we have advanced with stereotypes," Meza shared via a translator. "Nowadays, beauty is not only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirits, but in our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you are not valuable."
The most recent Miss Universe pageant was held in 2019, when Miss South Africa, aka Zozibini Tunzi, took home the crown. Miss Puerto Rico, Madison Anderson, was the first runner-up and Miss Mexico, Sofía Aragón, was the second runner-up.
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