Estefanía Soto

Biography

Miss Universe Puerto Rico, previously known as Miss Puerto Rico Universe, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Puerto Rico Beauty, Miss El Imparcial, and Miss Borinquen, is an annual beauty pageant operated by the organization of the same name since its inception in 1952. Established in San Juan, the capital city and municipality of Puerto Rico, it is responsible for selecting and preparing the delegate representing the archipelago and island in the Miss Universe international competition, one of the Big Four beauty pageants. Since 2018, the Miss Universe franchise in Puerto Rico is owned by the media conglomerate Hemisphere Media Group, which manages it under its subsidiary WAPA-TV as the "Miss Universe Puerto Rico" pageant and organization. Yizette Cifredo, a television host, motivational speaker, writer, and former beauty queen, acts as national director under the motto "Se corona una, ganan todas" (One is crowned, they all win). Contestants are selected via in-person castings early in the year. Representing a municipality, they undergo months of training under the Heel Camp program, a series of workshops led by experts that focus on image, stage presence, communication, emotional intelligence, social service, leadership, and female empowerment. The winner continues to be prepared under the program until she goes to compete internationally. The reigning Miss Universe Puerto Rico is Jennifer Barreto of San Sebastián. Barreto was crowned at the 70th edition of the pageant, celebrated in Caguas on June 25, 2026. She is the 72nd delegate to represent Puerto Rico at Miss Universe, which will celebrate its 75th edition in November.

== History ==

=== Franchisees === This list includes the name, franchisee, and director of the Miss Universe franchise in Puerto Rico in ascending order from the establishment of the franchise in 1952 to the present.

In 1952, Miss Universe was founded, granting its franchise in Puerto Rico to Weldon Farms, producers of Leche Alba (Milk Alba), and the El Imparcial newspaper, which named it "Miss Borinquen," after the indigenous Taíno name of the main island. From 1953 to 1955, the franchise was held solely by the newspaper, which eponymously renamed it "Miss El Imparcial." In 1956, the Puerto Rico Psychopedagogical Institute acquired the franchise under the name of "Miss Puerto Rico Beauty." In 1957, the El Imparcial regained the franchise as the "Miss El Imparcial." Journalist Miguel Angel Yumet served as national director. From 1958 to 1960, the franchise remained unclaimed in Puerto Rico. With no local pageant held or titleholder crowned, Puerto Rico was absent from the international competition. In 1961, the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer acquired the franchise under the name of "Miss Puerto Rico." Journalist Tony Beacon acted as director, while the businesswoman in the modeling and beauty industry Anna Santisteban served as trainer of the contestants. From 1962 to 1995, the franchise was held by Santisteban under the same name of "Miss Puerto Rico." Santisteban, who was a former beauty queen, also acted as national director. From 1996 to 1998, the television station Telemundo Puerto Rico acquired the franchise under the new name of "Miss Universe Puerto Rico." From 1999 to 2002, the franchise was held by the television station TeleOnce, which renamed it "Miss Puerto Rico Universe." Francisco "Paquitín" and Itza Cordero acted as national directors, while beautician Magali Febles and model agent Desireé Lowry acted as expert consultants. From 2003 to 2009, Febles, who began working with the delegates of Puerto Rico in the early 1990s, held the franchise under the same name. Febles also acted as national director. From 2010 to 2017, television producer Luisito Vigoreaux and Desireé Lowry held the franchise under the name of "Miss Universe Puerto Rico." Lowry, who was Miss Puerto Rico 1995, served as national director. Since 2018, the franchise is held by the media conglomerate Hemisphere Media Group. The organization is based in the headquarters of subsidiary WAPA-TV. In 2025, Hemisphere Media Group signed a multi-year contract with the Miss Universe Organization, extending its rights over the franchise for 5 years, until 2030. Miss Universe 2001 Denise Quiñones acted as director from 2018 to 2021, when TV host, motivational speaker, writer, and former beauty queen Yizette Cifredo took over the role. In 2024, Cifredo was awarded the "Beyond the Crown" award by the Miss Universe organization for her work as director.

=== Contestant selection === Under ownership of the El Imparcial newspaper in the 1950s, the contestant selection process required applicants to submit a headshot portrait to the newspaper, which would convene a panel of judges to select contestants for the pageant based on the photographs. The contestants who would compete on the final night of the pagent were chosen by the public via slips published daily for two to four weeks on the El Imparcial. Contestants represented municipalities or sponsors during this period. Under the leadership of Anna Santisteban, the contestant selection process varied. In the 1960s, in-person open call castings, as well as minor pageants divided by large metropolitan area (San Juan, Ponce, and Mayagüez) were used to select contestants for the pageant. Constestants wore numbers as markers, as they did not represent any entity during this period. When contestants began to permanently represent municipalities in 1973, minor pageants divided by municipality were used to select contestants for the pageant. This process lasted through the end of Santisteban's ownership of the franchise in 1995. Succeeding franchisees have relied on in-person open call castings to select contestants for the pageant. In 2026, a virtual open call casting was first used as part of the contestant selection process.

=== Host country or territory ===

This list includes Miss Universe editions held in Puerto Rico in ascending order from the establishment of the pageant in 1952 to the present.

In 1972, Puerto Rico hosted Miss Universe 1972, making it the first country or territory outside the United States proper to host the pageant. Puerto Rico had been scheduled to host the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants for 5 years from 1972 to 1976 for an investment of $200,000 per year, as agreed on the contract signed between the Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration and the Miss Universe Organization in 1971. However, the Puerto Rico Justice Department annulled the agreement in 1973, as the Administration did not have the authority to enter into contracts extending more than one fiscal year. The Miss Universe Organization sued the Puerto Rican government in response, but it later withdrew the lawsuit. In 2001, the pageant returned to Puerto Rico, which became the first participating country or territory (excluding the United States) to win the international title of Miss Universe as a host, with the crowing of the Puerto Rican contestant, Denise Quiñones, as Miss Universe 2001. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company invested $2.5 million for the pageant. In 2002, the pageant stayed in Puerto Rico to celebrate Miss Universe 2002. The municipality of San Juan, the host city, made an investment of $2.5 million for the pageant. In 2026, the pageant is scheduled to return to Puerto Rico for an investment of $8.7 million by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. The initial contract called for a $9 million investment, but the amount was reduced after the original agreement was renegotiated in view of accusations of lack of transparency at Miss Universe 2025 and reported legal troubles of the owner of the organization, Raúl Rocha.