A new Miss Universe has been crowned, but the celebration comes as fresh controversy erupts behind the scenes — including sharp criticism from a former judge.
The glitz. The glamor. The scandal.
Fátima Bosch of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe on Thursday, November 20. This was before the prestigious pageant was rocked by explosive backstage drama that left the glittering event teetering on the edge of a full-blown meltdown.
Bosch rose above contestants from over 130 countries to claim the crown in a spectacle themed “The Power of Love.” This was at the 74th edition of the Miss Universe competition, held at the opulent Impact Challenger Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.
Despite the theme, love was in short supply behind the scenes.
Behind the Tiara – A Storm of Accusations and Walkouts
Just 16 days before the world watched her glittering coronation, Bosch found herself in the center of a firestorm. This happened after a shocking incident during a livestream on November 4.
Pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly accused Bosch of refusing to join a scheduled photo shoot, a claim she vehemently denied. But the confrontation didn’t end there.
In an unbelievable turn, Itsaragrisil continued to berate the beauty queen in front of fellow contestants. The humiliation sparked a dramatic rebellion. Several contestants stormed out of the room in solidarity, walking beside Bosch in a defiant show of support.
Neither Bosch nor the Miss Universe Organization responded publicly at the time. But the silence didn’t last.
‘He Called Me Dumb’ – Bosch Breaks Her Silence
In a video that spread like wildfire across pageant-centric Instagram pages, Bosch finally addressed the humiliating clash, and she didn’t hold back. The beauty queen accused Itsaragrisil of disrespecting her and making a deeply insulting remark.
“He called me ‘dumb,'” Bosch claimed in the video — a shocking accusation that ignited outrage among fans and supporters alike. As tensions soared, Miss Universe Organization president Raul Rocha Cantu stepped forward to calm the storm. He aimed his message squarely at the executive at the center of the scandal.
In a statement, Cantu did not mince words. He expressed full support for the contestants and delivered a pointed rebuke, declaring that the executive had “forgotten the true meaning of what it means to be a genuine host.”
As the glitter settled and Mexico’s Bosch basked in her newly won Miss Universe crown, the pageant world was already in freefall. What was supposed to be a dazzling celebration of global beauty and empowerment quickly unraveled into a maelstrom of resignations, accusations, and explosive claims of corruption.
Judges Walk Out as Allegations of Pre-Selected Finalists Rock Pageant Credibility
The storm began just days before the grand finale in Bangkok. Two Miss Universe judges abruptly resigned — a shocking development that shook confidence in the organization’s transparency.
Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch was the first to blow the whistle. In a blistering Instagram post, he accused an impromptu jury of handpicking 30 finalists from the 136 contestants — without the knowledge or involvement of the official eight-member judging panel.
He claimed he only discovered the alleged scheme on social media and hinted at cozy ties between some selectors and their favorite contestants. Though Harfouch didn’t reveal how this shadow panel might have influenced outcomes, the implication was clear: something wasn’t right.
Just hours later, French football legend and judge Claude Makélélé also bowed out, citing only unforeseen personal reasons.
Denials, Deflections, and Yet Another Resignation
The Miss Universe Organization rushed to extinguish the flames. In a statement released Tuesday, they denied everything, insisting no unofficial group had any power to judge or select finalists.
Instead, they claimed Harfouch may have misunderstood the Beyond the Crown initiative — a separate social-impact program with its own committee. But just one day later, the damage deepened. Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie — president of the Miss Universe selection committee itself — also resigned, raising further eyebrows.
To plug the sudden vacancies, organizers scrambled to appoint new judges, including former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova. But her selection only stoked the fire: she had previously coached Jaime VandenBerg, this year’s Miss Canada. The whispers of favoritism only grew louder.
A Queen’s Rise – And the Boos That Met Her
Bosch’s ascent to the crown was anything but smooth.
Born in the small town of Santiago de Teapa, Tabasco, Bosch began building her pageant legacy in 2018 with a win at the Flor de Oro competition. But her star truly rose in September 2025, when she was crowned Miss Universe Mexico — a moment that should have been triumphant.
Instead, it was met with boos from the audience and visible tension among fellow contestants. Some refused to congratulate her, believing another woman deserved the title. Despite being the first winner from Tabasco, her victory was already stained by whispers of injustice and favoritism.
The Man Behind the Mayhem – Nawat Itsaragrisil’s Expanding Power
Fueling the firestorm is Thai TV executive Itsaragrisil, the very man who publicly berated Bosch on a livestream, triggering a walkout by fellow contestants in protest.
His reach in the pageant world is immense and continues to grow. Starting as the director of Miss Thailand World in 2007, he launched his own rival systems — Miss Grand International and Miss Grand Thailand — before assuming major leadership roles within Miss Universe itself.
In 2025, he was appointed executive director of Miss Universe Thailand, assuming a more prominent role in the global organization. With such deep involvement in multiple pageant systems, critics are now questioning his influence, especially after his public clash with Bosch.
Power Vacuum and Financial Crisis – Miss Universe CEO Resigns Weeks Before Finale
And then — a bombshell. Just days before the finals, Anne Jakrajutatip, the woman who made history as the first transgender owner of Miss Universe, resigned as CEO. Her departure came in the wake of a financial firestorm. Her company, JKN Global Group, was accused of inaccurate financial reporting and faced a crushing crisis.
Officially, she stepped down to spend more time with her family, but few people were buying it. Her successor, Mario Búcaro, stepped into a fractured organization already spiraling out of control.
‘Fake Winner’ – Omar Harfouch Doubles Down With Explosive New Claims
If organizers hoped the drama would die down, they were gravely mistaken. Following the crowning, Harfouch returned to social media with scorching new allegations.
In a post that sent shockwaves across the pageant world, he dubbed Bosch a “fake winner” — and claimed he had predicted her victory the day before the pageant in an HBO interview. But that wasn’t all.
He accused Miss Universe owner Rocha of having business ties to Bosch’s father. He claimed that Rocha and his son told him in Dubai, “It would be good for our business” if Bosch won.“They asked me to support her,” he added, promising more revelations in an upcoming HBO special slated for May 2026.
The Miss Universe Organization has remained tight-lipped, refusing to comment on Harfouch’s fresh round of bombshells. Rocha, now at the center of the storm, has also not responded — fueling speculation and outrage from fans and critics alike.
Outrage Online – Fans Cry Foul, Accuse Miss Universe of Favoritism
As the dust settled, online reaction reached a boiling point. Disillusioned fans flooded social media with demands for transparency, many insisting that Bosch’s victory was pre-planned and that the dramatic clash with Itsaragrisil was staged to make her look brave.
Others vented that contestants from Thailand, the Philippines, Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire, India, and Indonesia had been robbed. Bosch, they claimed, didn’t even deserve a place in the top 30. A few fans even joked that the new winning strategy was to stay out of the spotlight until the semifinals.
Pageant World Demands Answers
“This is unfair! Venna is the real winner! One wrote.” Another added, “Look at the price of corruption.” The criticism grew more ferocious by the hour. Some users called out specific names — like Ecuador and Portugal — saying they’d been unfairly pushed aside.
Others argued the judging process had become meaningless, with side events and sponsor activities no longer impacting the results. And the most persistent claim?
That the entire Bosch–Itsaragrisil confrontation had been orchestrated to engineer a sympathy win. Fans are now demanding clearer judging protocols, accountability, and a complete overhaul of the Miss Universe system.
