Lina Luaces will hand over her Miss Universe Cuba crown this Wednesday, and she has already determined her next step: returning to university to resume her economics degree, which she paused during her year of reign.
The daughter of presenter Lili Estefan revealed her future plans on the show El Gordo y la Flaca, on Univision, where she also reflected on a period that she described as both exhausting and transformative.
"For the competition, I put my studies on hold, but I always told my mom and dad, 'I swear I'm going to go back to school.' It's just that with everything I had to do last year, I didn't have the time. But I've always said it, even in my response during the final night of Miss Cuba, that my education is my priority, so at this moment, that's going to be my focus," the young woman stated.
With the return to the classrooms, Lina mentioned that she has several professional projects that have her "very excited," although she cannot reveal details yet. "It will be ready in about six months," she eagerly anticipated.
Before thinking about the future, the young woman needed some time to recover from the frantic pace of the pageant. Upon returning from Miss Universe 2025, held last November in Thailand, she sought to take a Catholic retreat to reconnect with her spirituality and the people closest to her.
"The word is noise because it has been so many months with so much adrenaline. I wanted to get back to the basics, because I didn't see my family for a year, I didn't see my friends for a year, and I wanted to take care of my mind, my health, because social media was very overwhelming last year as well," he explained.
When presenter Raúl de Molina asked her if it was difficult to be in Thailand amid the problems surrounding that edition of Miss Universe, Lina did not shy away from answering: "Yes, of course, but I always like to focus on the positive. I always say that this year I feel women came together more than in previous years. On my birthday, I was with all of them; we really bonded this year, and now I can say I have friends for life, which I never thought would happen because everyone tells you, 'Be careful with the women in beauty pageants.' And they are incredible women."
Lina was crowned Miss Universe Cuba 2025 in July of last year in Hialeah, Florida, and in November she represented Cuba at the international pageant, where she reached the Top 12, marking the best result for the country in the modern era of the competition.
The entrega of her crown is scheduled for August 20 at the final of Miss Universe Cuba 2026, which will be held at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Bay, Miami. The winner will represent Cuba at Miss Universe 2026, whose grand final will take place in November in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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