A top organizer of the Miss Universe pageant apologized on Wednesday after his tirade against Miss Mexico prompted several contestants to briefly walk out in protest, weeks before the main competition.
Nawat Itsaragrisil, a Thai businessman who co-owns the Miss Universe Organization, was seen on the livestream on Tuesday, scolding Fátima Bosch, Miss Mexico, for not taking part in some promotional activities.
“I’m here representing my country and it’s not my fault that you have problems with my organization,” Ms. Bosch responded, after Mr. Nawat accused Mexico’s representatives of sabotaging promotional content.
Other contestants, dressed in their sashes and gowns, were seen listening silently for several minutes before Mr. Nawat called security to escort Ms. Bosch out. At that point, some of the women stood up and walked toward the exit.
In videos posted on social media by Thai news media, contestants were seen outside the venue, leaving with Ms. Bosch. Competition events have gone ahead as scheduled since the incident on Tuesday. On Wednesday night, Ms. Bosch stood onstage with more than 100 competitors as Mr. Nawat apologized.
The Miss Universe competition has been one of the most prestigious international beauty pageants since it was started by a California swimwear company in 1952. The Miss Universe Organization owns the brand and makes money by licensing it to national organizations and selling rights to broadcast the competition in different countries. Demand from broadcasters and sponsors has declined in recent decades as audiences lost interest in beauty pageants.
Raul Rocha Cantu, president and co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, rebuked Mr. Nawat in a video posted on Wednesday, saying he would not allow contestants to be “attacked and humiliated.”
Neither Ms. Bosch nor Mr. Nawat responded immediately to a request for comment.
Miss Universe has been based in Thailand since 2022, when it was bought by JKN, a Thai media conglomerate, from Endeavor, the American talent agency. The pageant was owned by President Trump from 1996 until he sold it to Endeavor in 2015.
JKN’s $20 million acquisition was celebrated in Thailand as a triumph for its chief executive, Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, and for the country’s tourism industry, one of the pillars of the economy.
The next year, though, JKN filed for bankruptcy and sold half of the Miss Universe Organization to Mr. Rocha, a Mexican businessman. Ms. Anne was forced to step down from JKN in June by Thailand’s securities regulator, which accused her of falsifying business records in connection with the sale of Miss Universe shares to Mr. Rocha. Ms. Anne did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Nawat bought a stake in JKN in April this year through a share purchase by his company, MGI International.
Kittiphum Sringammuang contributed reporting.
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
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