Mexico's Andrea Meza crowned Miss Universe 2020, Miss India Adline Castelino finishes fourth

Andrea Meza of Mexico has crowned the new Miss Universe after the pageant was delayed over a year by the coronavirus pandemic. Meza who has a software engineering degree, beat out 73 other delegates including Miss Brazil at the end of the night, screaming excitedly when the announcer shouted "Viva Mexico!"

Florida: Andrea Meza of Mexico has been crowned Miss Universe for the year 2020, besting contestants from 74 other countries, including Miss India Adline Castelino, who came in fourth at the beauty pageant. The 69th edition of the event, which was held on Sunday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood here, was a scaled-down affair in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the official Miss Universe website, the 26-year-old Meza was crowned by her predecessor Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, who won the pageant in 2019.

While Brazil's Julia Gama, 28, emerged the runner-up, Janick Maceta (27) from Peru finished third. Castelino, 22, was congratulated by Miss Diva Universe India via its official Twitter page.

"India places 3rd Runner Up at @MissUniverse! Our hearts are filled with immense pride for our LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2020, @AdlineCastelino who has done such an exceptional job at the Miss Universe Pageant! We couldn't have asked for a better representative than you," the post read.

Singer Luis Fonsi of "Despacito" fame performed at the three-hour competition, hosted by Mario Lopez and Olivia Culpo.

This is the third Miss Universe victory for Mexico, with Ximena Navarrete and Lupita Jones being declared winners in 2010 and 1991, respectively.

The Miss Universe competition airs in more than 160 territories and countries across the globe including in the U.S on the FYI channel and on Telemundo.