Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch has been crowned Miss Universe in a ceremony in Bangkok, marking the end of an exceptionally scandal filled pageant season.
The 25-year-old contestant had earlier in November walked out of a pageant event after a Thai official publicly berated her in front of dozens of contestants and threatened to disqualify those who supported her.
That dramatic turn was followed a week later by the resignation of two judges, one of whom accused organisers of rigging the competition.
These come as one of the world’s longest-running beauty pageants faces questions of its relevancy with a declining audience.
The contest’s latest result has added to the controversy, with news of Miss Mexico’s win instantly dividing opinion online.
Many Mexicans celebrated her victory as did others who had applauded her walkout.
But some have also wondered if organisers gave her the crown to make up for the earlier scandal.
Miss Thailand Praveenar Singh placed first runner up while Miss Venezuela Stephany Abasali placed third, followed by Miss Philippines Ma Ahtisa Manalo and Miss Cote d’Ivoire Olivia Yace.
● Drama in Bangkok
Things took a dramatic turn at a pre-pageant ceremony early this month, when Thai media mogul and pageant organiser Mr Nawat Itsaragrasil told off Ms Bosch in front of dozens of contestants for failing to post promotional content.
When she objected, Mr Nawat called security and threatened to disqualify those supporting her. Ms Bosch then left the room and others joined her in solidarity, in a move that made headlines around the world.
The Miss Universe Organization condemned Mr Nawat’s behaviour as “malicious” and Mr Rocha, speaking by video from Mexico, told his Thai business partner to just “stop”.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised Ms Bosch at that time as an “example of how we women should speak out” in the face of aggression.
During Friday’s finals, Mr Nawat posted photos from the audience on his Instagram stories but he was not seen on stage.
After Ms Bosch’s crowning, he posted a one-line statement in Thai on his social media accounts, saying: “A billion words that cannot be said”.
He also told reporters: “As for the outcome, we leave it to the viewers at home to judge… people everywhere can make their own assessment.”
On social media, some fans said the backstage drama helped Ms Bosch clinch the crown, which is Mexico’s fourth.
“Next year, whoever walks out will win,” one comment read, while another said: “They had to crown her to make up for injustice earlier to save Miss Universe!”
The BBC has contacted the Miss Universe Organization for comment.
On its social media accounts, the organisation praised Ms Bosch, saying “her grace, strength, and radiant spirit captured the hearts of the world”.
A week after the walkout controversy, two judges resigned with one of them accusing organisers of rigging the selection process.
Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, who announced his resignation from the eight-member jury on Instagram, alleged that an “impromptu jury” had pre-selected finalists ahead of the final on Friday.
Hours later, former French football star Claude Makelele also announced he’d pulled out, citing “unforeseen personal reasons”.
The Miss Universe Organization rejected Mr Harfouch’s claims, saying that “no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists”.
On Friday, minutes after Ms Bosch’s win was announced, Mr Harfouch posted a statement online repeating his allegations of rigging.
In a separate incident, during the preliminary evening gown round on Wednesday night, Miss Jamaica accidentally fell onstage and had to be rushed out of the theatre in a stretcher.
Clips of the incident were shared widely on social media. Organisers later said she was hospitalised but had no broken bones and was “under good care”.
●Turbulence at the top
The recent controversies, analysts say, underscore the cultural and strategic differences between Miss Universe’s Thai and Mexican owners.
The pageant events are being organised by Mr Nawat, who is known to fans as the founder and owner of Miss Grand International, a smaller Thai-based contest that is known for its loud social media presence.
Mr Nawat holds the licence to host this year’s Miss Universe pageant, while the Miss Universe Organization is being run out of Mexico by businessman Raul Rocha.
It is a relatively new leadership, brought in just before the pageant began.
Thai transgender media mogul Anne Jakrajutatip had previously owned the event, having acquired the pageant from US entertainment company Endeavor in 2022. She made sweeping changes towards inclusivity, allowing transgender women, married women and women with children to participate. She also scrapped the age cap for contestants.
As audiences declined over the years, she sought to monetise the Miss Universe brand, stamping it on merchandise such as bottled water and bags.
In 2023, her entertainment company JKN, filed for bankruptcy, citing “liquidity problems”.
She resigned as CEO of JKN just before this year’s pre-pageant events and was replaced by Guatemalan diplomat Mario Bucaro.
Before she resigned, Ms Jakrajutatip brought in Mr Rocha from Mexico as business partner and later tapped Mr Nawat to organise the 2025 pageant.
It has been a “very rocky transition” for the pageant’s leadership, Dani Walker, an American beauty queen and pageant coach told the BBC. She said important roles were now split between leaders in Bangkok and Mexico.
The leadership structure was much clearer when the pageant was being run by Endeavor, and before that, Donald Trump, she said.
“For fans and outsiders, it’s very confusing. No one knows who the real leaders are or who to ask when they have questions, and that’s very damaging to the brand,” Paula Shugart, who served as Miss Universe Organization president under the previous two owners, told the BBC.
Thitiphong Duangkhong, a scholar of women’s and Latin American studies and an expert on beauty pageants, said those behind the pageant should be aware of their cultural differences.
“In our country, we use the Thai language to communicate with our fellow Thais. We understand the social context, we understand social structure, we understand the inequality of power in society, and we constantly try to negotiate with it using the Thai language,” he told the BBC.
Mr Thitiphong said Ms Jakrajutatip being a transwoman might not have sat well with some Latin American fans who subscribe to macho culture.
“There’s talk of women who aren’t women suddenly buying a pageant that’s supposed to be about women’s entertainment. What’s going to happen?”
● What’s next for Miss Universe?
The crowning of the new Miss Universe, the 74th since 1952, signals the resolve of an organisation to stay relevant and evolve from a once-a-year television spectacle to a7 media brand that is ready for TikTok.
For years, audiences for the Miss Universe broadcast have been declining steadily as fans shift to social media.
North, Central and South American queens dominated the contest in its early years, but recent decades have seen the rise of fandoms in South East Asia, most especially in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, where pageant crowns have become a way out of poverty or an express pass for girls dreaming of becoming a celebrity.
On TikTok and Instagram, former titleholders, even runners up, maintain accounts with millions of followers, transforming them into influencers.
It is in this e-commerce universe that Mr Nawat’s Miss Grand International queens are expected to embrace – selling merchandise in live broadcasts – which he tried to introduce to Miss Universe.
But on the Latin American side, beauty queens are still regarded as glamorous television celebrities.
A Miss Universe reality show was even staged for that audience and the winner – a Dominican crowned Miss Universe Latina – is competing in the main pageant in Bangkok.
But while the controversies highlight the business side of Miss Universe, former queens continue to use their online platforms to promote their causes.
The 2018 titleholder, Catriona Gray, urged her 13.8 million Instagram followers to help a charity bring safe drinking water to thousands left homeless by back-to-back super typhoons in the Philippines.
The pageants also continue to face constant criticism for objectifying women.
But while the majority of contestants wore two piece bikinis for the 2025 contest, those from conservative countries were allowed to wear full-body covering in the swimsuit round.
“Of course, it won’t be for everyone, and there will always be those who disagree. But as long as the core values are intact, I think pageants will always have a role to play in society,” said Ms Shugart, the former president.
She said empowering women should be at the organisation’s core.
“Miss Universe is nothing if you’re not empowering the women that compete.” [BBC]
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