22-Year-Old Mexican Woman Crowned Miss Universe

Updated at 11:33 p.m. ET

A 22-year-old Mexico woman has won the Miss Universe pageant after donning a flowing red gown and telling an audience it's important to teach kids family values.

Jimena Navarrete of Guadalajara was first to answer an interview question Monday night and the last of 83 contestants standing in the headline-grabbing pageant on the Las Vegas Strip.

Her one-strap gown flowed behind her like a sheet as she walked. Earlier, she smiled in a violet bikini as she confidently strutted across the stage.


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Asked by Olympic gold-medal figure skater Evan Lysacek how she felt about unsupervised Internet use, Navarrete said the Internet is important but parents need to be careful and watch over their kids.

"I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time," she said through an interpreter. "We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family."

First runner-up was Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps, while second runner-up was Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell.

Navarrete is Mexico's second Miss Universe; Lupita Jones of Mexico won the title in 1991. Navarrete replaces Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.

Navarrete's win thwarted Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson from giving the South American country a third consecutive win. Neither Gibson nor Miss USA Rima Fakih made the top 15 finalists.

Navarrete won a package of prizes including an undisclosed salary, a luxury New York apartment with living expenses, a one-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy with housing after her reign, plus jewelry, clothes and shoes fit for a beauty champion.

Campbell won the Miss Congeniality Universe award. Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul won Miss Photogenic Universe and a second award for having the best national costume.

[gettingerj]

A European woman will never again win this contest. Bet on it.

[nuttyworld]

Politics, pure and simple. Glad I didn't watch.

[BST210]

Oh please...Miss Mexico. Could it be any more obvious that this is a politically correct show? I don't watch these things anymore since they are so rigged, but just reading about it tells me politics is involved.

[displeased]

You all actually watched the show?

[gruven13777]

How about just calling her Miss Planet Earth since there's a bazillion of other galaxies in our universe.

[Sam0425]

She didn't have to answer that question; but in your two scenarios the best answers would probably be: (1) The killing is due to Mexican corruption, but especially due to America's unstoppable drug use (probably including yourself), uncontrolled weapons sales in the South and a fight that should be fought in American territory by those who trigger consumption. (2) She should've answered that illegal immigration the result of the Mexican government not caring for its poor, and the American government and businesses need for additional workforce, income and cheap labor, starting since WWII.

Regardless of the fact she is beautiful, political correctness would be due to the 200 Anniversary of the Mexican Independence and not due to Arizona's law.

[AAthanas]

Miss "Mejico" answered the question about the death penalty saying it should never be allowed by any government -- well then what about all the killing going on in Mexico (and in America BTW) by the drug cartels?

They should have asked her what she thought about illegal immigration into America by Mexicans coming over the border on droves. Then, if she had answered it with her own ridiculous bias, they should have skewered her like they did Prejan (except in Prejan's case she was right--which makes what they did to her much worse).

Is this pageant so desperate to appear politically correct it rigged the outcome for Miss Mexico as a way of saying it is against SB 1070? What a bunch of blind, clueless mamby pambys!

I think Miss Mexico won b/c the judges wanted to thank her for hoooking them all up with some good drugs from the Mexican drug lords.

[nyc_logic]

AAthanas, what's funnier is that you and people like you have to spend your life being a racist @$$h0le, so bitter about your own life that you feel the need to blame everyone else for your own habitually bad decisions. I don't feel sorry for you because watching your failures makes my day. So, keep up the good work, because the rest of us need a good laugh.

[gypsy_rose]

hahahaha, that question was answered by the lady from Jamaica!! Miss Mexico answered the question regarding the "INTERNET USE BY CHILDREN"!! Which by the way, was eloquently answered...
It's just a beauty pageant!!! And believe me, not all countries give the importance to this event that we give it here in the US, they have other more important issues to worry about...
All the ladies are beautiful, but I have to say the Mexican girl had class, elegance and seem to be well educated on top of being gorgeous.