The Miss Universe contest is shrouded in controversy after the organization’s executive director in Thailand, Nawat Itsaragrisil, publicly insulted Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, during an event in Bangkok. The person in charge called the candidate “stupid” and told her to shut up, generating outrage among the remaining competitors, who left the room in protest.
The incident occurred after Bosch defended himself against criticism for not promoting Thailand, the contest’s host country. The reigning Miss Universe, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, showed solidarity with her colleague and refused to continue at the event, stating that “this is about women’s rights” and that “humiliating another woman is unacceptable”.
Given the repercussion of the case, the Miss Universe organization fired Nawat Itsaragrisil. The general director, Raul Rocha Cantú, declared that the executive’s behavior “is unacceptable” and that the contest should “empower women, not humiliate them”.
