Mia Dio, the representative of Cuba at Miss Universe 2026, arrived this Monday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the 75th edition of the international beauty pageant will be held, following an emotional farewell at Miami International Airport surrounded by family, friends, and supporters.
The Cuban candidate shared the moment on her social media with a message filled with emotion: "The moment has arrived! Today marks the beginning of one of the most important adventures of my life, and I couldn't be happier and more excited to carry the name of CUBA on my chest."
The farewell in Miami brought together about 20 people, including friends and fans, who carried Cuban flags and signs of support as they accompanied her to the moment of boarding.
Dio traveled with the white dress "The Bird with Two Wings," designed by Juan Carlos Piñera as a symbolic tribute to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and brought along about 40 suitcases of outfits prepared with her stylist Guillermo Leal.
Already in the Island of Enchantment, the candidate posted her first report of "Day 1" in an outfit inspired by the maga flower, an emblematic symbol of Puerto Rico: "Puerto Rico, I have arrived! Inspired by the beauty of the Island of Enchantment and its iconic maga flower, today I wear a design that celebrates its colors, its joy, and its tropical essence."
Dio's connection to Puerto Rico goes beyond the pageant: the 25-year-old has been living on the island for about two years, making this competition a return to a place she considers her own.
Born in Miami, daughter of a Cuban mother and an Argentine father, Mía Angelina Donadio Cancio was crowned Miss Universe Cuba 2026 on August 20 in Cutler Bay, Florida, representing Isla de la Juventud after surpassing 18 other candidates.
It's not her first time in the competition: in the 2025 edition, she reached the Top 5 and won the title of Miss Popularity, even competing with partial facial paralysis attributed to a faulty Botox application.
Her participation has a strong political component. On November 6, she presented her national costume "The Lady of Freedom", designed by the Panamanian Royer Pérez, featuring 75 portraits of prisoners of conscience, 75 crystal tears, white gladioli, four tocororos, and the phrase "We All March," in tribute to the Damas de Blanco and the dissidents imprisoned during the Black Spring of 2003.
Mia Dio is the third consecutive representative from Cuba at Miss Universe since the country returned to the competition in 2024 after a 57-year absence.
The final gala is scheduled for November 24 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, preceded by the national costume parade on November 21 and the preliminary competition on November 22. Before leaving, Dio left a message for those who supported her: "I leave with my heart filled with love and more determined than ever to give it ALL for my Cuba. This dream is also yours!"
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