Thursday night at Miss Universe® Latina was an absolute whirlwind. The show delivered a huge surprise: a brand new prize for the eventual winner. Even bigger news shook up the competition rules. Now, all 15 remaining contestants are nominated for elimination, meaning no one is safe.
Host Jacky Bracamontes was the one to drop these bombshells. She announced the new rules would start immediately, sparking a mix of hope and fear among the contestants. Some faces lit up with excitement, while others showed clear signs of worry and stress.
The evening also saw the ninth contestant leave the show. Elba Mendoza, a 26-year-old from Mexico, representing the ‘Esmeralda’ team, was sent home. Earlier in the show, her fellow Mexican contestant, Marcela Delgado from the ‘Rubí’ team, was the first of four nominated hopefuls to be saved. The judges, not the public, made that crucial choice.
The final decision for elimination came down to Elba Mendoza, Andrea Bazarte (Mexico, ‘Rubí’), and Natali Rodríguez (Argentina, ‘Esmeralda’). The moment of truth arrived with Fabián Ríos, who announced the verdict. He spoke about how difficult the choice was, praising all the contestants for their great progress. But a decision had to be made. With a heavy heart, he revealed the contestant leaving the competition: Elba Mendoza. She was encouraged to leave with her head held high.
A New Prize and High-Stakes Rules
Beyond winning the chance to represent the Latin community at the next Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, complete with gowns and training, Jacky Bracamontes opened a mystery box. Inside was a staggering $100,000 in cash. This new prize certainly added to the excitement.
But the cheers quickly faded to nervous gasps. Bracamontes then announced the major rule change: starting this Friday, all 15 models are automatically nominated. This means every single one of them is on the chopping block for the next Monday gala.
The competition won’t be easy. Contestants must fight in new challenges throughout Friday and Sunday. Only two will win these challenges, and they will be the only ones to escape the nomination group.
On Sunday, a special public vote will open on the Telemundo website. The 13 remaining nominated contestants will need viewer support. But here’s the catch: the contestant who gets the fewest votes will be automatically eliminated from the show.
Who’s Still in the Miss Universe® Latina Race?
Team Esmeralda (Captain: Alicia Machado)
- Britthany Marroquin – Honduras (Eliminated)
- Ashley Flete – Venezuela (Now on Esmeralda after being moved)
- Jelly Gilart – Cuba
- Elba Mendoza – Mexico (Eliminated)
- Yamilex Hernández – Dominican Republic
- Daniela Londoño – Colombia (Eliminated)
- Ediris Joan – Puerto Rico
- Giselle Burgos – Mexico (Eliminated)
- Natali Rodríguez – Argentina
- Isbel Parra – Venezuela
- Nitza Valdez – Mexico
- Erelly Martínez – Dominican Republic (Eliminated)
Team Rubí (Captain: Zuleyka Rivera)
- Andrea Bazarte – Mexico
- Marcela Delgado – Mexico
- Skarxi Marte – Dominican Republic
- Génesis Dávila – Puerto Rico
- Nathalia Tasama – Colombia (Eliminated)
- Laura Pérez – Cuba
- Azalia Arredondo – Mexico (Eliminated)
- Andrea Aguilar – El Salvador
- Lidia Venegas – Mexico (Eliminated)
- Osmariel Villalobos – Venezuela (Now on Rubí after being moved)
- Gemmy Quelliz – Dominican Republic
- Joseline Rodríguez – Venezuela (Eliminated)
You can catch Miss Universe® Latina on Telemundo, airing Monday through Friday and Sundays at 7:00 pm (ET) / 6:00 pm (CT). The show is also available for streaming on the Peacock app and other digital platforms.