MEXICO CITY (AP) — Nicaragua's increasingly isolated and repressive government thought it had scored a rare public relations victory last week when Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios won the Miss Universe competition.
Ordinary Nicaraguans — who are largely forbidden to protest or carry the national flag in marches — took advantage of the Saturday night Miss Universe win as a rare opportunity to celebrate in the streets.
Palacios' victory — along with photos she posted on Facebook in 2018 of herself participating in the protests — overjoyed Nicaragua's opposition.
Thousands have fled into exile since Nicaraguan security forces violently put down mass anti-government protests in 2018.
Palacios, who became the first Nicaraguan to win Miss Universe, has not commented on the situation.
Persons:
—, Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios, Daniel Ortega's, Palacios, Nicaraguans —, Nicaragua's, Silvio Báez, ” Báez, Lady Rosario Murillo, “, ” Murillo, Ortega, Ortega's
Organizations:
MEXICO CITY, Miss Nicaragua, Miss, Sandinista, Facebook, Jesuit University of Central, Nicaraguan
Locations:
MEXICO, North Korea, Jesuit University of Central America, Nicaragua, America, Caribbean