Miss Universe President Denies Judge Resignation, Vows Legal Action in ‘Rigging’ Row

 

Raul Rocha launches scathing personal attack on 'pseudo-musician' accuser, asserting the pageant's integrity and independent financial structure.

 

The President of the Miss Universe Organisation Raul Rocha has issued a strong public statement vehemently denying allegations of a judge resigning over alleged rigging, while simultaneously announcing the organisation will pursue legal action against the primary accuser.

 

Rocha, who holds a 50% ownership stake in the global beauty pageant, launched a multi-part defence of the competition's integrity, shifting the focus of the controversy by personally discrediting the individual he holds responsible for the claims, whom he refers to as "the musician."

 

“The only truth that stands is that no judge resigned,” Rocha stated unequivocally.

 

 

Direct Rebuttal and Threat

In a sharp tonal shift from organisational defence to counter-attack, Rocha personally targeted the accuser, labelling him an "opportunist" with a "poor and limited career" who was attempting to "latch onto the fame of Miss Universe to gain followers."

 

The statement escalates the dispute by making explicit threats of legal recourse: "We will take legal action against this individual who hides behind dark glasses, even at night," the President announced, accusing the person of fabricating "AI images that damage others' reputations."

 

Rocha also addressed the other two judges implicated in the swirling rumours, stating simply that they did not resign, and declining to "elaborate further out of respect for them and for the organization."

 

Defending Integrity and Scale

Rocha's response first sought to establish the complexity and robust integrity of the competition's judging process to counter the idea that the result could be easily compromised.

 

He emphasised the pageant’s immense global scale, citing its presence in "133 countries," and stressed that the winner is not determined by the brief "three hours of a show."

 

Instead, the winner is the product of an intensive "20-day concentration" period, where a "discipline committee" assesses values such as professionalism, sisterhood, and loyalty.

 

 

 

Financial Independence Asserted

To preempt potential allegations of external influence or bribery, the statement concluded with a firm reaffirmation of the organisation’s financial independence:

 

The Miss Universe Organisation is a "100% private organization" and receives no "public funds or sponsorships from any public entity."

 

Judges "do not receive any payment for participating," ensuring their motives are not transactional.

 

The organisation covers all contestant expenses during the 20-day period, including hotels, logistics, transportation, and medical care.

 

Rocha concluded his defence with a defiant, moralistic message to his detractors: "Nothing and no one will stop" Miss Universe, before quoting the Bible, Luke 14:11: "'For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.'"

 

Rocha's statement is a direct reaction to a crisis marked by burgeoning "rigging allegations" and widely circulated claims, primarily attributed to an individual described as "the musician," that a judge had resigned in protest over the outcome.

 

The organisation has also faced public criticism from other industry figures, such as Nawat Itsaragrisil, complicating the media environment.

 

The president’s three-part statement was specifically aimed at neutralising the judge resignation rumour and reinforcing stakeholder confidence in the long-term stability of the Miss Universe brand.