Lina Luaces, daughter of Univision star Lili Estefan, is crowned Miss Universe Cuba

Miami Herald

09-07-2025

Miss Universe Cuba has a new queen named Lina Luaces, a 21-year-old model born in Miami, who comes from Cuban-American royalty.
Luaces represented Santiago de Cuba, the city where her mother, Univision host Lili Estefan, and her uncle, music producer and businessman Emilio Estefan, were born.
'Being Cuban is my blood, my strength, my voice, my greatest pride,' Luaces said on July 8 on the stage at Milander Park, where she was chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand on Nov. 21.
The Miss Universe Cuba 2025 gala was hosted by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua, and Carlos Adyan of Puerto Rico, host of 'En Casa con Telemundo.'
The ceremony also paid tribute to the outgoing queen, Marialena Ancheta, the first Miss Universe Cuba in 57 years, who represented Cubans in Miss Universe 2024. She was in charge of crowning Luaces, who will also be the queen of the celebrations for the centennial of the city of Hialeah.
Miss Universe Cuba finalists
Luaces was joined in final round of the top three by Lisbeth Fernández, from Pinar del Río, and Vanessa Villareal, from the Eastern Region.
'Cuba has a lot of talent to give to the world,' said Villarreal, in response to the jury's question to the three finalists about why they should be chosen to represent Cuba in the Miss Universe pageant.
'Cuban is synonymous with excellence,' said Villarreal, who followed a strict diet and exercise plan before the competition.
'My strong suit now is my self-esteem. I've raised it a lot. I feel like I can achieve anything I want,' Villarreal said in a previous interview with El Nuevo Herald. Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, national director of Miss Universe Cuba, said he observed a special quality in Villarreal as she prepared for the pageant with the other 16 candidates.
In the round of five finalists, Sheila Laza (Central Region) and Mia Donadio (Isla de la Juventud) also qualified, the latter winning Miss Popularity for getting the most votes from the public through the Miss Universe Cuba platforms.
Donadio was also recognized for having the best skin, according to Snatched Plastic Surgery, one of the sponsors of Miss Universe Cuba. Meanwhile, Laza, who arrived from Cuba at age 13 and entered beauty pageants in Houston and competed in the 2018 edition of 'Nuestra Belleza Latina,' won the award for best face, selected by Le Belle MD, a spa that has worked with Cuban beauty queens since the pageant's first edition.
'I believe in myself'
Luaces spoke to the press after the gala and thanked her family, 'who sacrificed so much for me to be here and achieve this for Cuba.'
She also responded to comments made by people on social media that she won the Miss Universe Cuba title because she belongs to the Estefan family.
'Everyone can have their opinion, but my family doesn't get up at six in the morning every day to go to the gym, or to attend Spanish, public speaking, and catwalk classes for almost 13 hours a day. I know everyone is going to have their opinion, but I believe in myself,' she said.
Luaces began ballet at an early age and began modeling at 15. She was then signed by Mexican modeling agency Paragon Model Management. Last February, she modeled for several designers at New York Fashion Week.
'It fills me with pride to see her enjoying our culture, our traditions,' said her mother, Lili Estefan when Lina participated in the first casting call for Miss Universe Cuba in April.
The rules of Miss Universe Cuba allow candidates to be born in Cuba or of Cuban descent, as is the case with Lina.
'Today Cuba celebrates its queen. Today we crown not only a beautiful woman, but a symbol of strength, elegance, and determination,' the Miss Universe Cuba organization celebrated on its Instagram platform.