During a miss universe 2025 event in bangkok, thai director nawat itsaragrisil insulted mexico's representative fátima bosch by calling her 'tonta' and summoning security, leading to her exit supported by other contestants. Miss universe organization president raúl rocha cantú limited nawat's involvement and announced legal actions. President claudia sheinbaum backed bosch for speaking out against misogyny.
The incident took place during a sash presentation ceremony in bangkok, thailand, host of the pageant with its final scheduled for november 21, 2025. Nawat itsaragrisil, director of miss universe thailand and event producer, questioned fátima bosch for not posting promotional content about thailand on social media, repeatedly interrupting her and insulting her by calling her 'tonta' for following her organization's guidelines. Bosch replied: 'Because i have a voice and i'm representing my country. You're not respecting me as a woman,' before leaving the room with several contestants, including hanin al qoreishy, miss iraq 2025, who took her arm in solidarity, and victoria kjaer, miss universe 2024, who called the act 'very disrespectful'.
Raúl rocha cantú, mexican businessman and president of the miss universe organization (muo) since acquiring 50% of the franchise in january 2024 through legacy holding, reacted in a social media video: 'I want to make clear my great indignation and repudiation of nawat for the aggression he made against fátima bosch, whom he humiliated, insulted, and disrespected, and highlight the great abuse of calling security to intimidate a defenseless woman trying to silence and exclude her. Enough, nawat!'. He announced nawat's participation in the pageant would be 'very limited or null' and that corporate and legal actions would be taken for 'the series of malicious acts'.
Nawat apologized multiple times live and on social media, crying on camera and saying he felt 'hurt, pained, and discouraged' by mexico's criticism. He explained calling security out of fear, as he was 'almost surrounded by mexicans' and didn't know what could happen, denying intent to expel bosch. He also accused muo of partnering with an illegal online casino sponsor in thailand, leading police to arrest a miss universe worker at the contestants' hotel.
Bosch, from tabasco, confirmed she would continue in the competition: 'I'm here stronger than ever. I have a purpose and i won't let anyone silence me'. President claudia sheinbaum, in her november 5 conference, praised her: 'My recognition because she experiences this aggression and very dignifiedly says: 'I disagree'... Women look more beautiful when we raise our voices'. Muo ceo mario búcaro traveled to thailand to oversee a 'safe and professional' environment. Hanin al qoreishy, born in 1998, texas-based insurance entrepreneur and philanthropist with uplifted hearts foundation, embodied international support by publicly backing bosch.
