MISS Mexico has been crowned the winner of Miss Universe 2021 after the 26-year-old beat out 74 other beauty queens.
Andrea Meza, a model and software engineer, wore a dazzling red gown as she accepted the award from last year's winner Zozibini Tunzi.
She posted on Instagram after her win: "MISS UNIVERSE IS MEXICO!"
This year's ceremony, held at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida, came after the 2020 pageant was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
Meza, a graduate of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, defeated 74 other contestants for the Miss Universe crown.
During a Q&A round, Meza was asked about beauty standards amid the rise of social media.
She said: "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.
"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."
Meza – a 6ft tall vegan – also gave her opinion on how to best deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
She said: "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."
She wore three different dresses during the competition, including a hot pink mini skirt and a beige gown.
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