Las Vegas: Jimena Navarrete of Guadalajara, Mexico, won the Miss Universe crown amidst much fan fare and adulation. The 22-year-old won the jury over by emphasizing the need to teach kids family values.
Jimena, resplendent in a flowing red gown, was the first to answer an interview question on Monday night and the last of 83 contestants standing in the headline-grabbing pageant on the Las Vegas Strip.
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."
Jimena was followed by 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 to 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 jewellery, clothes and shoes deemed fit for a beauty queen.
Australia Jesinta Campbell won the Miss Congeniality Universe title. Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul won Miss Photogenic Universe and a second award for having the best national costume.
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