Miss Universe Mexico fires back at pageant official after walkout

Miss Universe Mexico has much more to say.

“I just want to let my country know, I’m not afraid to make my voice heard,” Fátima Bosch said in Spanish in a clip shared on TikTok and translated by USA Today. “It’s here stronger than ever, I have a purpose. I have things to say.”

Her statement followed a scandalous incident that went viral. It happened at a Nov. 3 event ahead of the Miss Universe pageant later this month. Video of the incident, which was streamed live on Facebook, shows Bosch being called out at an official gathering of the contestants.

Nawat Itsaragrisil, president of Miss Universe for Asia and Oceania, at first said anyone not doing all that was required of them, such as appearing in videos and posting on social media, should show their hand. At one point, he allegedly called them “dumb.”

Eventually, he said, he wanted to see Mexico’s contestant, who stood and engaged in a back-and-forth with the Thai businessman, who complained that she no longer answered to the Mexican Miss Universe delegation, but to the pageant officials in Thailand. When she later interrupted him to take exception to some of his statements, Itsaragrisil instructed security to take her out of the meeting.

That’s when reigning Miss Universe, Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, and others walked out in support of Bosch.

Bosch wasn’t finished.

“We’re in the 21st century, and I’m not a doll to be made up, styled, and have my clothes changed,” she continued in her response after the incident. “I came here to be a voice for all the women and all the girls who fight for causes and to tell my country that I’m completely committed to that.”

Miss Universe organization’s president Raúl Rocha Cantú said in an official statement that Itsaragrisil’s behavior was unacceptable.

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“I will not allow the values of respect and dignity of women to be violated,” he said.

As for Itsaragrisil, he publicly apologized for what happened in a livestream to his official social media accounts, The Los Angeles Times reported, saying, “If someone doesn’t feel well, if someone feels uncomfortable, if anyone was affected, I apologize to everyone. I already spoke and apologized to the rest of the girls in the room, about 75 girls.”

Miss Universe 2025 is on Nov. 21 in Pak Kret, Thailand.