Lupita Jones, former Miss Universe and candidate for Governor of Baja California, stated at a press conference that the world's most famous beauty pageant has "completely lost its way" due to the "particular" interests of the brand's owners. She blamed Mexican national Raúl Rocha Cantú and Thai national Anne Jakkaphong, both investigated in their respective countries for organized crime and fraud, respectively. "Obviously, they are tainting it, obviously it affects people's perception because if the leadership is facing these types of accusations, it's logical that you think everything permeates downwards," she emphasized. She also questioned who is currently at the helm of Miss Universe, whom she described as an "ethereal entity" without a head, as demonstrated by the fact that the government of Puerto Rico—which is set to host the pageant in 2026—is seeking a meeting with executives to ensure transparency in the next competition. "Who are they going to sit down to talk with? Who are they going to sit down to negotiate or renegotiate whatever they have to do?" she added. Jones also expressed that these accusations not only "hurt" but also "frighten" her. "We could imagine that things were bad, but not how bad," she said. She also defended the winner of Miss Universe 2025, Mexican Fátima Bosch, by stating that she "is not a symptom of the illness" the pageant is going through. "I believe Fátima put on that crown from the moment the situation with Nawat (Itsaragrisil) arose... The message she gave me seemed very powerful, meaning, no crown, no dream is worth your dignity," she concluded. Previously, at a press conference, Jones stated that Raúl Rocha Cantú "should never have come to Miss Universe" because "his mission for the brand is completely removed from the vision Miss Universe has".
