The 17-year-old business owner and advocate of Mas Vida foundation from Nayarit, Mexico succeeded last year’s winner from the USA, Morgan Claycomb. She became the second Mexican representative to win the international pageant.

Vanessa Smith of the USA and Carlota Pop of Spain were named the first and second runners-up, respectively.

In addition to the crown, Mariana also bagged the Best in National Costume award wearing the beautiful creation of Mexican designer Paco Gaona.

Her costume called “Arcoíris” means rainbow and was inspired by Guerrero’s low mountain, a state on Mexico’s Pacific coast where the designer came from.

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During the competition, she had to share a message that was important. Claycomb chose to talk about mental health awareness, “and really pushing the ‘You Are Enough’ platform.”

“In that moment that I was being crowned, I was just on cloud nine,” Claycomb said.

The teen contest was held in the city of Managua, Nicaragua.