Daniela Reyes broke her silence this Friday regarding her decision to compete in Miss Universe Cuba 2026, sharing a heartfelt reflection on her Instagram stories about the internal process she went through before taking this step.
Responding to questions from her followers, the Cuban influencer and model —with over a million followers on Instagram— spoke for the first time in her own words about a decision that had been speculated on for months.
"There was never a moment when I said I was a hundred percent ready, because there's always a bit of fear of the unknown, of risks, of a new phase. But there was a moment when I told myself that I could not put it off any longer. I said to myself: let's go for it," Reyes declared in her stories.
The content creator acknowledged that the world of beauty pageants is completely foreign to her background: "I don't master the world of pageants, I don't know it. I'm going to have to learn all of this, I'm going to have to prepare and train, and that's part of the magic of it all. It's part of growing, of not being afraid of change."
Reyes described his participation as a new personal reinvention: "This is a stage where I have to reinvent myself once again, I need to step out of a familiar zone, out of my comfort zone to enter an uncertain environment."
Despite the uncertainty, she emphasized that she feels emotionally prepared: "I feel strong, determined, and I believe I have everything I need to do things right. I will do everything in my power not to let you down, which is the biggest pressure I have. I know you have high expectations of me."
The phrase that summed up his motivation was powerful: "I want to represent Cuba; it's the most important thing I have right now in my world."
The stories emerge a day after the makeup artist Eugenio Rodríguez confirmed on Instagram —through a photo session— that Daniela Reyes was on her way to the competition. On April 20, Reyes herself had posted images with a contest aesthetic and the message "something big is about to begin", which sparked rumors.
Her name began to circulate in the pageant environment since July 2025, when she attended a Miss gala and was pointed out as a possible candidate. In November of that year, she spoke for the first time about the possibility with "great excitement and also a little fear," leaving the decision "in God's hands."
Miss Universe Cuba 2026 has begun its selection process with an initial in-person casting on April 17 in Miami, where more than 100 candidates participated. The organization aims to select 24 official contestants, and the winner will represent Cuba at Miss Universe 2026, scheduled for November in Puerto Rico.
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