Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios is enjoying her time on tour before passing down the crown to the next winner in September. The tour began in Miami, Florida, and she will next head to Asia. On Monday, March 18th, the Nicaraguan beauty queen, named among the 50 Women of Impact in Latin America spent the day in Sweetwater, also known as Little Managua, in Florida. About 24 percent of residents in Sweetwater are of Nicaraguan descent and March 18, is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. For the special day, the mayor of the Miami-Dade County city, José Pepe Díaz, handed her the keys to the city.

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Palacios, who recently traveled to Mexico for a humanitarian project, made two speeches, stopping by the city offices ahead of the event. The battle was on March 14-15, 1856, and was fought near San Jacinto, Nicaragua. It was a significant victory for Nicaraguan forces led by General José Dolores Estrada and a symbol of Nicaraguan unity, patriotism, and resistance.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to share with you on this special day. Because we are celebrating a victory, a victory that belongs to all of Latin America and for which we feel happy and content. It’s time to celebrate, it’s time to enjoy, and above all, to also fill me with energy to continue with my responsibility as Miss Universe,” she said.

At the key ceremony, she made another touching speech recognizing the honor. “Thank you, God, for this very important moment, for my beautiful homeland, and for all those who are watching us through digital media. Thank you for preparing me for the commitment to represent women, to carry that message of motivation, of leadership,” she said.

She went on to share motivational advice, “Fight for what you want, do not be afraid of a no, seek and knock on the door for the yes. Believe in your intuition because when duty calls, do not be afraid of a no. Seek and knock on the door for the yes, believe in your intuition because when duty calls, it’s because things are going to turn out well.”

The 23-year-old, who helped welcome Osmel Sousa into the Miss Universe organization, also made a promise for the future of Miss Universe. “I may be the first Nicaraguan, the first Central American to win the competition, but I swear to God that I will not be the last,” she said. “I want to open up a field of opportunities for Afro-American women, for Latin women, and for women worldwide through my story, to motivate them to fulfill their dreams, to be a thousand times better than me ... let’s create that society of respect, of love, and of course, of equity”