Fátima Bosch, who received presidential support after reacting to insults from the organization, wins the crown in an edition marked by allegations of fraud and behind-the-scenes chaos
Mexican Fátima Bosch was crowned 2025 this Friday (21) in Thailand, after having had a discussion with a contest executive at the beginning of the month, which triggered a wave of feminist support for the contestant.
As seen in a viral live broadcast, businessman and presenter Nawat Itsaragrisil questioned and even called the 25-year-old Miss Mexico “stupid” in a meeting for an apparent failure to publish promotional content about Thailand on her social networks. Bosch, a model and designer, stormed out of the room, followed by some of her colleagues.
“What the director did was a lack of respect: he called me stupid,” the Mexican woman told the journalists present. “The world must witness this, because we are independent women and this space allows us to make our voices heard.”
The incident provoked rejection from several celebrities and public figures, including the Mexican president, who highlighted Bosch as “an example of how women should raise their voices”.
Nawat had to apologize later.
After the incident at the beauty contest, Bosch gained prominence in the media and on social networks for his firm response during the incident, which increased expectations regarding the contest.
The newly crowned winner declared at a press conference this Friday, in English, that she would like to be remembered as “a Miss Universe who was not afraid to be herself” and “a person who changed, a little, the prototype of what a Miss Universe is”.
In Villahermosa, capital of the state of Tabasco and the young woman’s hometown, thousands of people gathered at a baseball stadium to watch the contest live.
During the ceremony in Thailand, it was also revealed that Puerto Rico will host the contest in its 2026 edition, when the event will celebrate its 75th anniversary.
Chaos behind the scenes
Before Bosch was finally crowned, however, chaos reigned behind the scenes at the pageant.
Another drama in the final stretch was the resignation of two of the eight judges this week, one of whom claimed that the contest was vitiated by a “secret and illegitimate vote” carried out without the official jury.
“This vote was carried out by people who are not recognized members of the official jury,” wrote French composer Omar Harfouch in a statement posted on Instagram. He stated that at least one of the people involved had a “romantic relationship with a participant”, without naming names.
The Miss Universe Organization denied the accusations and stated that “no improvised jury was created”.
Former French football player Claude Makelele also withdrew as an evaluator, citing “unforeseen personal reasons” on social media.
*With information from AFP
Published by Nícolas Robert
