The Miss Universe pageant is in chaos, and its leader is ready to walk away. But here's where it gets controversial... Just months after acquiring the iconic competition, Raul Rocha, the co-owner and president, is seeking an exit strategy amidst a storm of scandals that have left the organization reeling. In a candid Spanish-language interview, Rocha likened his situation to a relay race, asking, “Who do I pass the baton to?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ENKL_8aDw0). This metaphor couldn’t be more fitting, as the pageant has been stumbling over hurdles of controversy, from jury tampering allegations to public shaming of contestants.
Rocha, a Mexican business titan who took the helm in January 2024, cited frustration with the micromanagement and constant scrutiny as his reasons for wanting to sell his 50% stake. “I’m fed up with all the talk,” he told journalist Adela Micha. “People want to dictate every decision—how you hire, who you fire, why you add someone to the team. I don’t lend myself to that kind of drama.” His words paint a picture of a leader exhausted by the weight of expectations and the relentless criticism that comes with running a global brand.
And this is the part most people miss... The turmoil reached a boiling point in the days leading up to the Bangkok pageant. Multiple high-profile committee members, including musician Omar Harfouch, soccer legend Claude Makélélé, and committee president Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, resigned publicly. Harfouch’s bombshell claim that the pageant had pre-selected 30 finalists before the competition even began sent shockwaves through the organization. While Miss Universe swiftly denied the allegation (https://www.instagram.com/p/DRNDIUxk6yQ/?hl=en&img_index=1), an anonymous contestant told People that the news was “heartbreaking” (https://people.com/miss-universe-contestant-speaks-out-amid-claim-top-30-was-pre-selected-exclusive-11851886). “We sacrificed so much—our jobs, our personal lives—because we believed in the integrity of this organization,” they said.
The drama didn’t end there. On November 4, pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly humiliated Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, during a livestream, calling her “dumb” and ordering security to remove her after she accused him of disrespecting her as a woman. Bosch went on to win the crown (https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/miss-mexico-fatima-bosch-wins-miss-universe-after-walkout-scandal/), but the damage was done. Contestants staged a mass walkout in solidarity (https://www.thedailybeast.com/miss-universe-stages-mass-walkout-after-contestant-humiliated-by-boss/), and Rocha responded by dismissing Itsaragrisil and imposing sanctions.
Here’s the million-dollar question: Can Miss Universe recover from this mess? With Rocha’s departure looming and the organization’s reputation tarnished, the future looks uncertain. Is this the end of an era, or can new leadership restore the pageant’s integrity? And what does this say about the pressures of running a global brand in the age of social media scrutiny? Let’s discuss—do you think Miss Universe can bounce back, or is this scandal too big to overcome? Share your thoughts in the comments!
