Miss Universe 2025 Winner Overshadowed by Organisational Chaos and Thai-Mexican Ownership Clash

BANGKOK, THAILAND — The crowning of Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch as Miss Universe 2025 has brought an end to the pageant’s on-stage proceedings, but the organization\’s fight for survival is far from over. The competition was defined less by its beauty queens and more by an extraordinary public feud between its owners and an internal organizational crisis that threatens the viability of the long-running global brand.

The drama underscores what analysts call a \”very rocky transition\” following the resignation of former owner Anne Jakrajutatip, whose company, JKN, filed for bankruptcy in 2023. The leadership is now split between Mexican businessman Raul Rocha (President of MUO) and Thai media mogul Mr. Nawat Itsaragrasil (local host and Miss Grand International owner), a structure that former MUO President Paula Shugart called \”very confusing.\”

Public Feud and Cultural Clash

The conflict became aggressively public when Mr. Nawat berated Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch in front of other contestants, a move fiercely condemned by Mr. Rocha. The incident, and the ensuing judge resignations over rigging claims, exposed a major cultural and strategic rift:

The Thai Model: Mr. Nawat’s approach favours the loud social media presence and e-commerce model of his Miss Grand International, where queens operate as influencers selling merchandise—an approach he attempted to force on the Miss Universe delegates.

The Latin American Model: The Mexican leadership and Latin American audience still view beauty queens as glamorous, traditional television celebrities, exemplified by the staging of a Miss Universe reality show for that market.

Scholar Thitiphong Duangkhong noted that the cultural differences are compounded by the complexity of transgender owner Jakrajutatip’s tenure, which may not have sat well with some traditional Latin American pageant fans who subscribe to \”macho culture.\”

 Crisis of Relevance and Declining Audience

The internal chaos distracts from the pageant\’s larger struggle to remain relevant. Audiences for the broadcast have been steadily declining as fan attention shifts to platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where former titleholders now thrive as individual influencers.

Former President Shugart warned that the leadership confusion is \”very damaging to the brand\” at a time when the organization needs a clear strategy to evolve from a once-a-year spectacle to a cohesive media property.

Despite the turbulence, the pageant remains incredibly popular in Latin America and South East Asia, serving as a pathway out of poverty or to celebrity for many contestants.

As the organization attempts to stay relevant by embracing inclusivity (allowing married women, mothers, and transgender women to compete), critics continue to challenge its core values, arguing that it sexually objectifies women. However, Shugart emphasized that for the pageant to survive, \”Miss Universe is nothing if you\’re not empowering the women that compete.\”