Claudia Arteaga’s Border Response Triggers Social Media Debate at Miss Universo Chile

The Final Thirteen and the Road to Miss Universo Chile 2026

The competition reached its decisive stage on Sunday, August 2, 2026, when Mega broadcast the final gala of Miss Universo Chile 2026. Hosted by Julio César Rodríguez, the evening brought together twenty contestants vying to represent the country on the international stage in Puerto Rico this November.

An evaluation panel comprising Viviana Nunes, Carolina de Moras, Camila Andrade, Edgardo Navarro, and Josefina «Pin» Montané directly selected eleven candidates. The remaining two finalist spots were decided by public vote, securing positions for Catalina Vallejos representing Pucón and Javiera Barrie representing Las Condes.

The thirteen finalists of Miss Universo Chile 2026 who advanced in the competition are Josefina Flores (Antártica), Victoria Jiménez (Loncoche), Arantxa Ramírez (Vitacura), Scarlette Hermosilla (Lo Barnechea), Dominga López (Viña del Mar), Martina Avendaño (Talca), Mariane Kiss (Los Ángeles), Sofía Surriba (Concepción), Javiera Pino (Huechuraba), Claudia Arteaga (Rancagua), Catalina Vallejos (Pucón), Krishna Sandoval (Temuco), and Javiera Barrie (Las Condes).

Julio César Rodríguez’s Border Question and Claudia Arteaga’s Response

Before the final results were settled, the remaining candidates faced traditional interview questions designed to test their poise under pressure. Moderator Julio César Rodríguez directed a pointed query at Claudia Arteaga, asking her whether she considered building a ditch in the north to control illegal immigration—one of the current government’s first measures—to be an effective and necessary policy.

Before offering her thoughts, Arteaga greeted the people who voted for her. With some nervousness, she proceeded to respond.

Arteaga stated that in response to his question, she believed any measure taken by the government nowadays could be either good or bad, but they needed to look at the results first. She added that this government was just starting out and should be given a chance, just like past administrations, including those of Boric and earlier ones. She concluded her turn by stating that they were moving forward as a country, and she believed today was a day for reflection, expressing her view that everyone should remain calm and could expect something good to happen, while thanking everyone very much. Despite her progression through the initial elimination rounds, Arteaga ultimately did not secure a place in the final instance of the contest.

Social Media Backlash and the Political Reactions

The candidate’s measured stance on the administration immediately triggered a wave of hostile reactions across social media platforms, where critics questioned whether her comments constituted support for the government of José Antonio Kast.

Commentators on digital channels targeted the broadcasted exchange with pointed critiques. Reactions collected from the public included remarks such as how to demonstrate being a right-wing extremist in under a minute hahaha, that she thought they were recording a commercial for Kast’s campaign, that the worst response was this one, that her answer was the reason she was eliminated and made her look like a regional ministerial secretary, and that her reply sounded like a friend of Kast hehehe, noting that she could not speak that way and expressing gladness that she was eliminated.

Oratory Missteps and the Crowning of Miss Viña del Mar

The evening was marked by broader scrutiny over candidate oratory skills during the question segment. Current Miss Grand candidate Ignacia Michelson took to Instagram stories to comment on the certamen and criticized the overall quality of candidate responses.

Michelson remarked that she wanted to say something about how terrible the answers from the misses had been, describing them as unbelievable and atrocious, and noting that all of them had answered dreadfully. While other contestants stumbled over complex topics—such as Cata Vallejos and her response regarding El Chino and the Cajón del Maipo, and Scarlette Hermosilla failing to respond well to the legislative project Escucha mi corazón—Michelson singled out the eventual winner for praise.

Regarding the winner, Michelson noted that Dominga made a few mistakes in her oratory but still delivered the best response so far. Despite the critiques and her own failure to qualify in the first stage of the event, Dominga López secured the title of Miss Universo Chile 2026, earning the right to represent the country in Puerto Rico this coming November.