Miss Universe Turmoil Ends With Miss Mexico’s Controversial Win

The Miss Universe stage was meant to celebrate global beauty, talent, and unity, but this year's competition turned into one of the most chaotic in its long history.

On Thursday, Fátima Bosch of Mexico was crowned the winner in Bangkok, Thailand, after weeks of scandals, accusations, and shocking resignations that left the pageant world rattled.

From viral confrontations to disputes over judging, the event quickly shifted from glamour to uproar, making Bosch's win one of the most controversial in recent memory.

Fátima Bosch stepped into the global spotlight on Nov. 20 when she was crowned the newest Miss Universe at Impact Challenger Hall in Bangkok.

She beat out competitors from more than 130 countries during the 74th edition of the pageant, which carried the theme "The Power of Love."

Her victory, however, came at a time when the Miss Universe Organization was already facing intense scrutiny.

Just weeks before the pageant, the organization faced viral backlash after a livestream captured a tense moment between Bosch and pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil.

Despite the glamorous stage and polished ceremony, the turmoil leading up to the event cast a long shadow.

The controversy took center stage earlier in the month when Itsaragrisil publicly scolded Bosch during a livestreamed meeting with contestants.

In front of rows of beauty queens, he warned that they were expected to "promote the host country," adding, "Be careful. You are in Thailand. You are in a game."

The executive accused Miss Mexico of refusing to participate in a social media photo shoot and claimed she was following orders from her national director.

Bosch denied the accusation, attempting to speak, but he continued to interrupt her and demanded verbal confirmation of her willingness to post about Thailand.

Tension escalated when he dismissed her, calling her a "dummy." Still, the beauty queen refused to be shunned and remained standing.

When asked why she was still standing, Bosch responded, "Because I have a voice," and, "You are not respecting me as a woman." As she left, she added, "As women, you need to show respect for us."

The dramatic moment pushed several contestants to follow her in protest, turning a private meeting into an international scandal.

After the confrontation went viral on social media, neither Bosch nor the Miss Universe Organization commented immediately.

However, the 25-year-old later addressed the moment in a video shared on Instagram, saying, "Your director is not respectful. He called me dumb."

The MUO president, Raul Rocha Cantu, also released a statement expressing "solidarity and support" for the contestants, adding that Itsaragrisil had "forgotten the true meaning of what it means to be a genuine host."

The organization attempted to shift public focus back to the competition, but the damage was done.

The clip had already ignited global conversations about contestant treatment and the pressures placed upon women representing their countries.

Many fans praised Bosch for standing up for herself, while others questioned how such behavior was allowed within an international, supposedly empowering event.

As if one scandal was not enough, the pageant was soon hit with another blow.

Judge Omar Harfouch abruptly resigned from the official Miss Universe selection committee, claiming he discovered an "impromptu jury" had secretly chosen 30 finalists from the 136 countries meant to participate..

He said he learned of this committee through social media and insisted that none of the true eight judges were present during the selection.

"The results of this selection are currently being kept secret," he wrote on his Instagram Stories per PEOPLE.

In another post, Harfouch warned that the unofficial panel included individuals with "a significant potential conflict of interest," including someone involved in counting votes.

The pianist claimed that the pageant responded by swiftly publishing a list of names associated with the selection process, even though the roles played by the individuals weren't specified.

In response to Harfouch's claims, the MUO released a public statement denying his claims, insisting that "no impromptu jury has been created" and that all evaluations were handled according to established protocols.

Following the back-and-forth, things got worse, all thanks to the sudden resignations of other judges, including Claude Makélélé and Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie.

The timing fueled speculation that the judging process was far more chaotic than the MUO acknowledged.

Just as the organization attempted to regain control of the narrative, more turbulence surfaced.

After the double resignation of Makélélé and Princess Camilla, MUO quickly appointed new judges, including former titleholder Natalie Glebova.

That decision triggered yet another controversy when it emerged that Glebova had coached Jaime VandenBerg, who was competing as Miss Canada.

For critics, it was yet another red flag in a pageant already under fire for fairness concerns.

Pageant watchers questioned how a coach could be allowed anywhere near a judging panel, especially in a year filled with accusations of bias and improper influence.

With tensions already running high from the viral reprimand of Bosch and the allegations of a secret jury, the judge reshuffle made the competition feel even more unstable.