The crowning of Fatima Bosch as Miss Universe 2025 has been a source of national pride in Mexico and a global celebration. The Tabasco native, with her charisma, resilience and impeccable performance, became one of the most talked about queens in recent years. However, among the applause and congratulations, one name has emerged to question her victory: the French-Lebanese pianist Omar Harfouch, who resigned from the contest jury just days before the final.
Harfouch, who was part of the official panel of eight judges, has publicly called Bosch a “fake winner,” reigniting the controversy that followed her resignation and serious accusations against the organization.
On Tuesday before the final, Omar Harfouch announced his resignation from the jury, arguing an alleged lack of transparency in the contest. The musician denounced that a “secret ballot” had been carried out, in which the first 30 qualified contestants were chosen without the participation of the official panel, composed of eight appointed judges.
According to him, this voting was allegedly carried out by people outside the jury and, in some cases, with personal ties to contestants. Without presenting evidence, Harfouch claimed that this process was irregular and in violation of the rules.
After resigning, the artist expressed his intention to sue the Miss Universe Organization for alleged crimes including: abuse of power, corruption, deceit, breach of contract and conflict of interest.
The controversy escalated when, after Bosch’s coronation, she again used her social networks to declare that the Mexican is “a fake Miss Universe”.
Accusations without evidence: Harfouch points to alleged business links
In an interview recorded 24 hours before the pageant, Harfouch assured that Mexico would win, not because of its own merit, but because of alleged “business deals” between Raul Rocha, owner and president of the Miss Universe Organization, and Bernardo Bosch, father of the Mexican queen.
Bernardo Bosch is a businessman with extensive experience within Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company. However, Harfouch did not present evidence of these claims or documents supporting the existence of such agreements.
These statements were quickly pointed out as speculative, especially since the pianist’s own resignation came before he could exercise his role as a judge during the formal evaluations.
Fatima Bosch’s media rise after her conflict with Nawat
Although Fatima Bosch arrived in Thailand with moderate support in the betting, her popularity skyrocketed after a public confrontation with Nawat Itsaragrisil, a Thai businessman and organizer, who verbally attacked her for not promoting tourism content on her networks.
The Mexican tried to defend herself, but was interrupted and threatened with expulsion, which outraged contestants and spectators. The candidates, including the then Miss Universe 2024, stood up and left the room in solidarity with Bosch, ignoring the organizer’s warnings.
The episode went viral, generated worldwide empathy and became one of the reasons why his name resonated strongly before the final.
Interestingly, after the coronation, Nawat appeared smiling posing with the new queen, after having offered public apologies – even in tears – days earlier.
Despite Omar Harfouch’s statements, Fatima Bosch’s victory stands firm and has been celebrated by show business figures, beauty pageant specialists and millions of fans around the world.
The pianist’s accusations remain isolated comments, without verifiable evidence, while the Mexican continues to receive recognition for her elegance, stage presence, emotional strength and leadership.
The truth is that, controversy or not, Mexico has a new Miss Universe, and Fatima Bosch has already begun to write her chapter in the history of the pageant.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.
