Miss Mexico Crowned Miss Universe Amidst Controversy
Bangkok, Thailand – Andrea Meza of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday, but the pageant was overshadowed by allegations of impropriety and a contestant injury. The competition, held in Thailand, faced accusations of a secretly pre-selected group of finalists and saw Miss Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, fall off stage during the preliminary events.
Former miss Universe Organization (MUO) judge, Ratthasat “Som” Harfouch, publicly claimed on Instagram that a “secret vote was held to pre-select 30 contestants out of the 136” two days before the final, conducted by individuals not part of the official jury. “I could not stand before the public and television cameras, pretending to legitimize a vote I never took part in,” Harfouch wrote.
The MUO responded with a statement denying the accusations, suggesting Harfouch may have been referring to the selection committee for its “Beyond the Crown Program,” a separate social impact initiative. “The Miss Universe Organization firmly clarifies that no impromptu jury has been created, that no external group has been authorized to evaluate delegates or select finalists, and that all competition evaluations continue to follow the established, clear, and supervised MUO protocols,” the statement read.
during WednesdayS preliminary events, Miss jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage during the evening gown competition and was taken away on a stretcher. According to MUO president, Paula shugart Rocha, Henry is currently under observation in a Bangkok hospital with no broken bones, and Rocha visited her and her family on Friday.
The pageant has faced challenges in recent years, including declining viewership and financial instability. Since 2024,the Miss universe Organization has been jointly owned by JKN,a Thai media company,and Legacy Holding Group USA inc., a division of a Mexican company owned by Rocha. The organization has changed ownership multiple times since its founding in 1952, including a period under former President Donald Trump that ended in 2015.
puerto Rico will host the competition next year, as announced by Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón on Friday.
