Prelude to Elegance Preliminaries of Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2025

Photos by Wapa TV | Miss Universe Puerto Rico

On August 11, 2025, the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2025 preliminary competition unfolded at the historic Teatro Alejandro Tapia y Rivera, streamed live by WAPA Televisión. The evening, hosted by Nicole Chacón and featuring special guest Jennifer Colón—Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2024—showcased contestants' poise and charisma through swimsuit and evening gown presentations.

The competition featured 23 delegates who first glided down the runway in stunning blue, fuchsia, and violet dresses crafted by designers such as Nicole Rodriguez, Rinaldi Droz, Jose Julia Agosto, and Juan Carlos Collazo. Their swimsuit round followed, where bold purple and pink designs by Lorel Aurora’s Mare Cheia line took center stage.

Musical performances brought extra flair—Christian Alicea debuted his latest single “Hello What’s Up” and “Me Lo Gozo,” while Karina Vélez delivered “Crush” and “Evitándonos.”

Special Awards: Honoring Outstanding Presentation

At the close of the preliminaries, several delegates were distinguished with special awards:

“Total Look RunWay by Colgate Optic White” – Miss Dorado (Zashely Alicea Rivera)

“Best Hair by L’Oréal” – Miss Universe Vieques (Isys Arimar Santos Crespo)

“Radiant Skin by L’Oréal Paris” – Miss Universe Ponce (Marisabel Rivera Negrón)

“Miss Photogenic” by Luxe Varié Magazine – Isys Arimar Santos Crespo (Miss Universe Vieques)

“My Way” – Delegate from Carolina (Josuan del Valle)

“Colgate Smile” – Delegate from Jayuya (Samaris Barbot)

“Miss Personality” (voted by peers) – Miss Morovis (Heidi Marie Acevedo Rosario)

“Best Runway” by New York Fashion Award – Miss Dorado (Zashely Alicea Rivera)

An interesting note: the outfit worn during the preliminaries was revealed to be the same dress the finalists will wear for the grand evening—with room for adjustments that preserve its original elegance.

What’s Next?

The grand finale is set for Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce in San Juan. Hosted by the dynamic duo Jose Santana and Diane Ferrer, the final judging panel will include Karla Guilfú, Shirley Rodríguez, David Antonio, Normando Valentín, Maritere Benes, Isaac Demel, and former Miss Universe (2006) Zuleyka Rivera.

WAPA Televisión will dedicate its entire programming to celebrate Puerto Rican women. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. with an exclusive behind-the-scenes show, followed by the live final at 8 p.m. The broadcast will stream across WAPA Televisión, WAPA América, WAPA+, and online, featuring a VIP segment by L’Oréal París and interactive commentary from the Social Media Center. Later, viewers can watch post-show interviews and a special “Queen in the News” segment.