Miss Universe 2006

The new Miss Universe 2006 is Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza from Puerto Rico.

An 18-year-old from Puerto Rico who hopes to star in U.S. and Latin American films was crowned in Los Angeles as Miss Universe 2006.

Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza is 5-foot-9 and she fainted because of her tight dress and overwhelming emotion at realizing she was the winner.

The Puerto Rican beauty queen was named Miss Universe 2006 over runner-up Miss Japan, Kurara Chibana, 24. Second runner-up was Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gillieron, 21. Rounding out the top five were Miss Paraguay Lourdes Arevalos, 22, and Miss United States, 20-year-old Tara Conner.

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