Miss Universe president Raul Rocha has unexpectedly revealed that he is looking to sell his stake in the pageant – and he did so just three days after the new Miss Universe was crowned in Bangkok.
In an interview with Mexican journalist Adela Micha, Rocha said he owns 50 percent of the organization but is “exhausted to the limit” by constant attacks, rumors and pressure. According to him, since purchasing the pageant in January 2024, he has faced daily interference from people who “want to dictate who to hire, who to fire and why.”
“I’m so tired. So tired of all this chatter. I don’t want to participate in these games,” Rocha said, adding that he views selling his stake as “passing the baton” to a new owner.
His admission comes in the wake of a series of scandals that hit Miss Universe in the days leading up to the final. Jury member Omar Harfouch resigned loudly, claiming the organization had allegedly selected its top 30 finalists even before all 136 contestants stepped on stage. Miss Universe called the claim false, but shortly afterward, footballer Claude Makélélé also left the jury, citing personal reasons. Then the head of the selection committee, Princess Camilla di Bourbon of the Two Sicilies, resigned as well.
Rocha has not responded to further media requests, but the fact remains: for the first time in many years, the owner of Miss Universe has publicly acknowledged that he no longer wants to remain at the helm. And now the world is speculating about who might become the next owner of one of the most famous crowns on the planet.
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