Bolivia arrives at the 75th Miss Universe with one of the most academically accomplished delegates in the entire field. Representing the country in San Juan, Puerto Rico is Valeria Mena – a 23-year-old from Oruro whose crowning didn’t just make her Miss Bolivia Universe 2026, it ended nearly six decades of waiting for her home department.
Valeria Mena was born on August 4, 2002, and holds a degree in Business Administration, graduating Magna Cum Laude with honors in 2024. Her academic portfolio doesn’t stop there – she also holds a Technical Degree in Design, Cutting and Tailoring, a Diploma in Commercial Strategy and Innovation, and is currently pursuing a Postgraduate degree in Engineering and Technology Project Management. She speaks Spanish, English and Italian.
Her first contact with the pageant world was as Miss 15 años of the Rotary Club Oruro – and years later, that same passion for representing her community carried her all the way to Bolivia’s most prestigious crown.
Valeria Mena was crowned Miss Bolivia Universe 2026 at the Salón Sirionó of Fexpocruz in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, defeating 29 candidates from the nine departments of Bolivia. The victory was historic – the last time Oruro had won the Miss Bolivia Universe title was in 1967, when Marcela Montoya García claimed the crown. Nearly six decades later, Valeria Mena brought it home.
Upon returning to Oruro after her crowning, Valeria was received with a massive caravan, a mass and an emotional tribute from hundreds of people who came to the airport to celebrate her victory. Her words captured the moment: “Con su apoyo puedo seguir soñando” – with your support I can keep dreaming.
On her Miss Universe journey, Valeria is clear about her mindset: “This is not just a competition. It is the opportunity to turn my story into a purpose and my purpose into impact.”
Pageanthology’s Assessment:
Valeria Mena is one of the most well-rounded delegates heading to Puerto Rico. A Magna Cum Laude graduate, trilingual, with a background in business, design and project management – she brings substance and intelligence to go alongside her presence on stage. Bolivia hasn’t made major waves at Miss Universe in recent years, but Valeria has the profile to change that narrative.