"Miss Mexico" Fatima Bosch was crowned the new "Miss Universe" in Thailand on Friday, marking the end of an exceptionally scandalous beauty pageant season, reports the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
Earlier in November, the 25-year-old contestant left the event after a pageant representative publicly insulted her in front of dozens of contestants and threatened to disqualify those who supported her.
A week later, two judges resigned, one of whom accused the organizers of rigging the competition.
"Miss Universe," founded in the United States, is one of the longest-running beauty pageants on the planet. Recent controversies, according to analysts, highlight the cultural and strategic differences between the Thai and Mexican owners of the pageant.
At the competition, Thai Pravinar Singh took second place, and the top five included Venezuela, the Philippines, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Thailand is hosting "Miss Universe" for the fourth time, and its delegate this year was considered one of the frontrunners by fan websites.
The crowning of the new "Miss Universe," the 74th since 1952, demonstrates the organization's determination to remain relevant and evolve from an annual television show into a media brand ready for TikTok, the publication notes.
Scandal details
The beauty pageant is organized by Thai media mogul Nawat Itsaragrasil.
Earlier this month, Nawat reprimanded "Miss Mexico" Fatima Bosch in front of dozens of contestants for not posting promotional content.
When she objected, Nawat called security and threatened to disqualify those who supported her. Bosch then left the room, and others joined her in solidarity.