Mexican Fátima Bosch, 25, from Tabasco, won the Miss Universe 2025 title at the final gala in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 20. Her victory, Mexico's fourth, sparked national joy despite prior controversies with pageant officials. President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated her for speaking out against injustices.
The ceremony took place at Bangkok's Impact Arena, where Bosch competed against representatives from 120 countries and territories, including nine mothers, one transgender woman, a genocide survivor, and Palestine's first entrant. She succeeds Danish Victoria Kjaer Theilvig. Presenter Steve Byrne read the card announcing: Venezuela as second runner-up, Thailand as first (omitted to avoid confusion), and Mexico as winner.
The event was marked by controversies. Weeks earlier, Bosch demanded respect from Nawat Itsaragrisil, Miss Universe Thailand director, who insulted her for refusing to record an off-competition promotional, drawing criticism even from Sheinbaum. Post-coronation, a video showed Bosch greeting Nawat cordially with a handshake and cheek kiss, as well as Raúl Rocha, co-owner, and Mario Búcaro, CEO.
Another scandal involved Omar Harfouch, ex-juror who resigned alleging fraud: a secret meeting to select 30 contestants and pressures from Rocha to vote for Bosch due to business ties with her father, Bernardo Bosch Hernández of Pemex. Harfouch called Bosch a 'false winner' and plans an HBO documentary for May 2026. Rocha denied the claims, showing messages explaining the meeting as part of the Beyond the Crown program, and accused him of seeking attention.
Bosch, a fashion design graduate, wore a red mermaid gown with gold details and cape, designed by Jalisco's Trino Orozco. In her first X statement, she said: 'This is a dream... To all those Latin girls... always believe in yourselves... Never let anyone make you doubt your value.' Her brother Bernardo, an engineer and politician, described her as always destined for great things. Beauty sponsor Seytú will leverage the win for international expansion, in a market projected at 18 billion USD by 2034.
Her red dress revived the theory that all Mexican winners (Lupita Jones 1991, Ximena Navarrete 2010, Andrea Meza 2021) wore it, symbolizing national strength and luck.
