Fátima Bosch of Mexico won the 2025 Miss Universe crown in Thailand on Friday, weeks after walking out of a pageant event in protest and amid broader controversies surrounding the competition.
The confrontation began at an early-November sash ceremony livestreamed on Facebook, where Thai media personality and pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly criticized Bosch for not taking part in certain promotional activities. When Bosch tried to respond, Itsaragrisil summoned security and she left the room, accompanied by several other contestants and then-reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark. Bosch later told Thai media she was called “dumb” and said she had been trying to do her best. She framed her departure as standing up for women’s voices on a platform meant for empowerment.
Itsaragrisil later said onstage at a preliminary event that he had not used the word widely reported and apologized, blaming pressure and saying he is “human.” But the fallout continued: Miss Universe Organization (MUO) President Raúl Rocha posted a video condemning Itsaragrisil’s conduct, saying the director had “forgotten the true meaning” of hosting by showing disrespect and calling security to intimidate a contestant. Rocha warned of legal and corporate consequences and said he would restrict or potentially eliminate Itsaragrisil’s role in the pageant, though the two were photographed together at events shortly before the final.
The pageant faced additional turbulence in the days before the final. Two of the eight judges abruptly withdrew: former French soccer player Claude Makélélé, citing unforeseen personal reasons, and Lebanese-French composer Omar Harfouch, who alleged the competition was rigged. Harfouch claimed a secret vote two days before the final pre-selected 30 contestants out of 136 by people not on the official jury. The MUO issued a lengthy statement denying any improvised jury or unauthorized evaluations, suggesting Harfouch might have been referring to a separate “Beyond the Crown” selection committee tied to a social-impact program.
Preliminary events also saw accidents. During the evening gown round, Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry fell off the stage and was taken away on a stretcher. She did not compete in the finals; Rocha later said he had visited her in a Bangkok hospital where she was under observation but had not suffered broken bones.
On the final night, Bosch was asked how she would use the Miss Universe platform to create safe spaces for women. She said she would use her voice in service of others, to speak up and make change, and praised the bravery of women who stand up. Her victory drew public praise from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who commended Bosch for speaking out against injustice and said women are “prettier when we speak and we participate.”
Since 2024 the Miss Universe Organization has been jointly owned by Thai media company JKN and Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., a division of a Mexican company linked to Rocha. The organization has changed hands multiple times since its founding in 1952, including a long period under former President Trump that ended in 2015. In recent years MUO has faced declining viewership, financial instability, and debates about relevance, objectification, and inclusivity. Puerto Rico’s governor announced Friday that the island will host next year’s competition.
