Sao Paulo
Miss Nicaragua director Karen Celebertti Moncada announced her official resignation from her position in the country this week. The announcement, made last Tuesday evening (12) on its social networks, came just over a week after the Nicaraguan dictatorship accused it of “conspiracy, spreading false information, treason and money laundering as part of a plot to defeat the government”.
The resignation is a reaction of the executive to the persecution that the dictatorship launched against her and her family after the victory of Sheynnis Palacios at Miss Universe 2023. The model was crowned less than a month ago, on November 18th, and since then the government has been on alert. For them, the Nicaraguan's victory in the beauty contest could be used as a ploy by the opposition to oppose Daniel Ortega's regime.
“The time has come for my retirement,” Celebertti wrote on his social media profile in his first public statement since the Miss Universe final. “For 23 years, I have worked hard to strengthen the name of my home country through the Nicaragua platform,” he wrote. “Miss Nicaragua has always grown up free of political connections, without racial discrimination, religion or geographical region. I know there will always be more opportunities for us.”
The owner of Miss Universe, Thai businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip, 44, also commented online and supported Celebertti. “I am sure that even if you are in a safe place right now, your true heart would rather not live in this safer option. Unfortunately, when darkness falls, we must all accept fate and move forward courageously. You must banish you and your daughter to another country because of your faith and service to women! I wish your son and husband to stay strong,” he posted.
Ortega's first action after Miss Universe 2023 was to confiscate the suitcases containing the clothes Sheynnis wore at the competition, including the signature “El Zanate” costume inspired by a bird native to the country. The seizure occurred the day after the final (19), when Celebertti's husband Martín Argüello and his 16yearold son Bernardo got off with their luggage at the airport in the capital, Managua.
After the negative impact of the action in the world press, the dictatorship turned around and returned the clothes delivered on Saturday (2) to the woman's grandmother, who lives in Managua. An official statement at the time said that the contents of the three suitcases and two retained bags were not damaged and that nothing had been removed.
When Celebertti herself returned to Nicaragua on the 23rd with her teenage daughter, both were banned and exiled. They had to return to Mexico, where they were guests of Miss Universe, after accompanying Sheynnis to dates in Miami (USA) and Mexico City. Martín and Bernardo were subsequently arrested by the state police and have been incommunicado ever since.
The Ortega regime is already looking for a possible replacement for Celebertti, who has led the franchise since 2011. According to Nicaraguan website La Prensa, Celebertti had already renewed her contract with Miss Universe for 2024. The director was also a former Miss and came second in the 1991 Miss Nicaragua pageant.
VITÓRIA uncovers turbulence in the region
The victory of Sheynnis, who simultaneously claimed her country's and Central America's first victory in the Miss Universe pageant, highlighted the turmoil the winner's nation's region is experiencing.
While Nicaragua has transformed in recent years into a leftwing dictatorship led by Daniel Ortega, democracy in neighboring El Salvador, where the beauty pageant was held, has experienced an accelerated process of decline since the election of rightwing populist Nayib Bukele. in 2019.
The coronation had negative effects in both places: In Nicaragua, the people celebrating on the streets with the country's flag was seen as an affront. This is because the flag has become a target of distrust among regime agents since the use of national symbols in protests against Daniel Ortega's regime in April 2018.
Sheynnis herself took part in the protests five years ago when she was 18 photos of the nowMiss Universe at the marches went viral before the ceremony. The regime was on alert at the time, closely monitoring the possible use of her image as a form of protest in the country.