Soraya Montenegro is a fictional character in the Mexican telenovela María la del Barrio.

Soraya is the typical villain of Mexican melodramas; she serves as a prominent antagonist and is characterized by violence, jealousy, insanity, and emotional instability.

She was portrayed by Itatí Cantoral in the original Mexican series and became one of the most recognizable villains in telenovelas as a consequence of the popularity of María la del Barrio worldwide.

Soraya Montenegro was conceived by Mexican producer Valentin Pimstein as the antagonist of the first story arc of María la del Barrio, a remake of 1979 telenovela Los ricos también lloran.

Soraya is loosely based on Esther Izaguirre, one of the villains of the old telenovela, but with considerable changes to her background, origin and mental state.

Nevertheless, he brought her back stating that Thalia needed a strong counterpart that could test her role as the heroine of the story.

Soraya moves back to Mexico to resume her vengeance plots against María and Luis Fernando, but falls in love with Nandito.

[2] Actress Daniela Luján played Soraya in a recreation of the scene where she attacks Nandito, Alicia and Esperanza, at the TV program Verdad o reto.