Eneisy Rodríguez, First Hialeah Representative in Miss Universe Cuba, Heads Into the Pageant's Final Stretch

August 18, 2026

Eneisy Rodríguez, a Cuban-American cinema arts professor, actress and dancer, became the first woman to wear the Hialeah sash in the Miss Universe Cuba 2026 pageant. The preliminary competition is scheduled for August 18, with the final gala set for August 20 at The Moss Center in Cutler Bay, Florida.

Based in West Palm Beach, Rodríguez faced significant financial challenges while preparing for the competition, including long train commutes between her home and Miami to attend rehearsals and required events. On one occasion, she said, she slept in a hotel lobby chair rather than pay for a room so she could make it to a morning pageant activity on time.

In response to those hardships, the owners of a Florida med spa gifted her a 2026 Toyota Corolla to help ease her transportation struggles during the competition, a gesture she publicly thanked them for.

The pageant's winner will represent Cuba at Miss Universe 75, taking place in November in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Miss Universe Cuba organizers have highlighted this year's addition of Hialeah representation as an expansion of the pageant's reach within South Florida's Cuban community.