Miss Mexico is the new Miss Universe!

Miss Mexico Andrea Meza is your 2020 Miss Universe!

The new queen was crowned by Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on May 16 (May 17 in Philippine time).

The new Miss Universe is Mexico!!!! #MISSUNIVERSE pic.twitter.com/Mmb6l7tK8I

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) May 17, 2021

During the final Q&A, Meza was asked: "If you were the leader of your country. How would you have handled COVID-19 pandemic?"

She answered:

I believe there's not a perfect way to handle this for situations, such as COVID-19. However, I believe that what I would have done was create a 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.

For her Final Word, Meza shared the following message as translated by an interpreter.

We live in a society that more and more is more in advanced. as we advance as a society, we also advance in stereotype. beauty isn't only the way we look. for me, beauty radiates not only in our spirts but in our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves. never permit someone to tell you you are not valuable.

FINAL STATEMENT: Mexico. #MISSUNIVERSE

LIVE on @FYI from @hardrockholly in #HollywoodFL pic.twitter.com/qf6luSGY15

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) May 17, 2021

The rest of the Top 5 are the following:

• 1st runner-up: Miss Brazil Julia Gama
• 2nd runner-up: Miss Peru Janick Maceta del Castillo
• 3rd runner-up: Miss India Adline Castelino
• 4th runner-up:  Dominican Republic Kimberly Jimenez

Andrea succeeds Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi whose reign was extended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Philippines' own Rabiya Mateo bowed out of the competition as one of the Top 21 finalists.

The beauty queen from Iloilo may have failed to make it to the Top 10, but she made the Philippines proud by highlighting the importance of education on the global stage.

Rabiya was also proven to be a certified scene-stealer since Day 1 of the pageant.

During preliminaries, she lit up the stage in a yellow sun-inspired evening gown created by Dubai-based Filipino designer Furne One.

She showed total Pinoy pride at the National Costume competition in a show-stopping Philippine flag-inspired ensemble with 21kg-heavy wings.

Rabiya also stole the show in a yellow two-piece bikini during the swimsuit preliminary competition.

Rabiya Mateo hoped to become the fifth Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown after Catriona Gray (2018), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margarita Moran (1973) and Gloria Diaz (1969). — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News