The Miss Universe competition has officially crowned its new winner: Fatima Bosch of Mexico.
Bosch, 25, went home with the honor Friday morning, marking the end of a chaotic two-week-long competition in Bangkok. Her win comes after Bosch and several fellow competitors walked out of a pre-pageant meeting when an organizer berated her.
Bosch took home the Miss Universe crown just two weeks after going viral when she was shushed and called “dumb” by one of the pageant’s co-owners. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images
Pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil, the co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, was caught on a November 4 livestream admonishing Bosch in front of fellow contestants, calling her “dumb” and telling her to be quiet and “keep polite.”
When Bosch called his behavior disrespectful, Nawat told security to remove her from the room.
Instead, a large group of fellow contestants walked out of the meeting in solidarity with Bosch. Nawat could be heard in the background of the video shouting threats to remove all of the women from the competition.
“I just want to let my country know, I’m not afraid to make my voice heard. It’s here stronger than ever,” Bosch told reporters later that day. ”We’re in the 21st Century. I’m not a doll to be made up, styled, and have my clothes changed.”
The pageant’s Mexican co-owner, Raúl Rocha, condemned Nawat’s behavior and said he had restricted Nawat’s participation in the competition “as much as possible.” The Miss Universe organization later released a statement calling Nawat’s actions “malicious.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also condemned Nawat, calling him “aggressive” and praising Bosch’s handling of the interaction. Nawat later apologized on Instagram, but denied calling Bosch “dumb.”
Bosch’s walkout was hardly the only scandal in this year’s competition, which has been marred by bad behavior, injury, and allegations of rigging.
On Tuesday, one of the judges resigned after alleging that the pageant was rigged by a separate jury that had pre-selected the finalists before they competed.
The Miss Universe organization quickly denied the allegations, writing in a Tuesday Instagram post that no one beyond the eight judges had been authorized to select finalists.
A second judge also left the competition, citing personal reasons.
The next day, Dr. Gabrielle Henry of Jamaica left the competition on a stretcher after she fell off the stage during a preliminary evening gown round.
Rocha later wrote on Instagram that he’d visited Henry in the hospital and she had “no broken bones and is under good care,” but would remain overnight for observation. Henry did not compete in the main competition on Thursday.
Bosch took home the Miss Universe crown just two weeks after going viral when she was shushed and called “dumb” by one of the pageant’s co-owners. Arnun Chonmahatrakool/Thai News Pix/LightRocket via Getty Images
Bosch is the fourth woman from Mexico to win the competition in its 73-year history.
Born in Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico, Bosch studied sustainable fashion design at Ibero-American University in Mexico City and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan, and now volunteers with children’s charities.
Bosch received her crown Friday morning from last year’s winner, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark. Theilvig joined Bosch during the walkout, telling reporters, “This is about women’s rights. This is not how things should be handled. To trash another girl is beyond disrespectful.”
