Fátima Bosch of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand on Friday, a victory that came after weeks of high-profile conflicts and controversy surrounding the competition.
The tensions began at an early-November sash ceremony livestreamed on Facebook, when Thai media figure and pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil openly criticized Bosch for not participating in certain promotional activities. When Bosch attempted to respond, Itsaragrisil called security and she walked out of the room alongside several other contestants and then-reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark. Bosch later told Thai media she had been called “dumb” and said she left to defend women’s voices on a platform meant for empowerment.
Itsaragrisil later addressed the incident onstage during a preliminary event, saying he had not used the word widely reported and offering an apology, attributing his behavior to pressure and saying he is “human.” The fallout continued when Miss Universe Organization (MUO) President Raúl Rocha posted a video condemning Itsaragrisil’s conduct, accusing the director of forgetting the pageant’s mission by showing disrespect and using security to intimidate a contestant. Rocha warned of legal and corporate consequences and said he might restrict or remove Itsaragrisil’s role in the pageant, though photographs showed the two men together at events shortly before the final.
The contest faced additional turbulence in the run-up to the final. Two judges withdrew unexpectedly: former French soccer player Claude Makélélé, who cited 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 had pre-selected 30 contestants out of 136 by people not on the official jury. The MUO issued a detailed rebuttal, denying any improvised jury or unauthorized evaluations and suggesting Harfouch may have been referring to a separate “Beyond the Crown” selection committee connected to a social-impact program.
Preliminary events were also marred by accidents. During the evening gown round, Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry fell off the stage and was stretchered out; she did not compete in the finals. Rocha later said he had visited her in a Bangkok hospital, where she was being observed 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 to serve others, to speak up and to push for change, praising the courage of women who stand up. Her win drew public congratulations 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 Thailand’s JKN and Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., part of a Mexican company linked to Rocha. The organization, founded in 1952, has changed hands several times — including a lengthy period under former President Donald Trump that ended in 2015 — and in recent years has struggled with declining viewership, financial pressures and debates over relevance, objectification and inclusivity.
Puerto Rico’s governor announced on Friday that the island will host next year’s competition.