Miss Universe Director Who Berated Miss Mexico Is Still at the Pageant

After a video of Miss Universe director Nawat Itsaragrisil yelling at Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch went viral, the group took swift motion — nevertheless it seems to be enterprise as typical.

Miss Universe president Raul Rocha posted a six-minute speech to Instagram on November 4, the day of Itsaragrisil and Bosch’s confrontation, and mentioned the director had dedicated a “critical abuse.”

“I’ve restricted Nawat’s participation within the occasions which can be a part of the 74th Miss Universe competitors, limiting it as a lot as attainable or eliminating it solely,” Rocha mentioned.

Regardless of these statements, Itsaragrisil has been photographed at quite a few Miss Universe occasions within the lead-up to the crowning, which can stream within the US on Peacock at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. On the eve of the finals, Itsaragrisil even posted footage on Instagram that present him smiling and posing with Rocha.

Miss Universe and Itsaragrisil didn’t reply to requests for remark.

A confrontation heard around the globe

Itsaragrisil is the director of Miss Thailand and the host for the 74th annual Miss Universe. He was holding a gathering with the Miss Universe contestants on the primary day of the pageant when he acquired right into a heated argument with Bosch, accusing her of not taking part in a sponsorship occasion.

Throughout the alternate, captured on Miss Universe Thailand’s Facebook livestream, Itsaragrisil criticized Miss Mexico’s crew earlier than showing to inform Bosch: “Should you hearken to your director, you are a dumbhead.”

Itsaragrisil, who has a historical past of shaming pageant contestants, later instructed reporters that the phrase he had used was “harm.”

“I’ve a voice,” Bosch instructed Itsaragrisil at one level throughout their argument. “You aren’t respecting me as a girl.”

Itsaragrisil then tried to name safety on Bosch, prompting a number of Miss Universe contestants — in addition to Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig — to stroll out of the room in protest.

Miss Universe responds

Rocha did not maintain again in his video assertion, saying that the group deliberate to take company and authorized actions “on account of the malicious acts dedicated by Nawat.”

“I can’t permit the values of respect and dignity towards girls to be violated,” Rocha added.

Rocha mentioned he had additionally instructed Miss Universe CEO Mario Búcaro to “journey instantly to Thailand and take management” of the pageant as a result of he now not had belief in Itsaragrisil.

Then, turning his consideration to the contestants, Rocha mentioned, “None of it’s best to ever permit incidents like this to occur in your life, regardless of who they arrive from. We should at all times defend this precept.”

A tearful Itsaragrisil apologized throughout a press convention the next day, telling reporters: “I’m human. I did not wish to do something like that.”

Is it enterprise as typical?

Regardless of Rocha’s feedback, images present that Itsaragrisil has been current at various the pageant’s essential occasions.

He was pictured on the Miss Universe swimsuit style present on November 14, posing alongside Búcaro and Theilvig. The next night time, Itsaragrisil was seen in images attending a gala dinner, being snapped with Miss Universe contestants and management. He was additionally photographed standing onstage with Búcaro because the CEO gave a speech. Itsaragrisil additionally attended the November 19 national costume contest and preliminary competitors, the place he posted the photographs of himself and Rocha on Instagram.

Omar Harfouch, who was one of many authentic judges for the Miss Universe 2025 pageant, instructed Enterprise Insider that he helped reconcile Itsaragrisil and Rocha.

“I reached out to each Raul and Nawat with the concept unity between pageant leaders may solely strengthen the worldwide pageant group,” he mentioned. “I provided to mediate a respectful assembly. We sat collectively, shared concepts, and I believed, for a second, that bridges had been being rebuilt.”

Harfouch posted a video of Itsaragrisil and Rocha’s reunion on Instagram on November 17. The subsequent day, he dropped out as a choose, alleging that the group had carried out a “secret vote” to pick the highest 30 by “people who are usually not official members of the jury, myself included.”

Miss Universe responded in a statement shared on its Instagram on November 18, saying Harfouch was confused by the group’s latest announcement of a range committee for the pageant’s “Past the Crown Program,” which it described as an “unbiased social affect initiative” that was designed to advertise the contestants’ charitable causes.

Amid all of the chaos, there are nonetheless 120 girls hoping to develop into the following Miss Universe. After weeks of competitors, one in all them will lastly be topped quickly.