Mexican entrepreneur Raúl Rocha, co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, has been at the center of a major scandal. According to an investigation by the newspaper Reforma, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) has requested an arrest warrant for him on suspicion of involvement in a criminal group dedicated to drug, weapon, and fuel trafficking between Guatemala and Mexico. Rocha, who in 2022 became the Honorary Consul of Guatemala in the State of Mexico and in 2024 acquired a 50% stake in Miss Universe, is also linked to contracts with the state oil company Pemex worth over 700 million Mexican pesos. Despite the large-scale agreements, the actual execution of the work was minimal. In November 2024, amidst these allegations, Raúl Rocha announced the acquisition of Miss Universe Mexico and introduced the pageant's new director. However, the victory of Mexican Fatima Bosch at Miss Universe 2024 in Bangkok raised new questions. Franco-Lebanese judge Omar Harfouch accused Rocha and his son of pressuring the jury to ensure Bosch's win, citing Rocha's business ties with the winner's father, a high-ranking Pemex official. Rocha himself denies any ties to the Bosch family or influence on the pageant's outcome. Pemex, for its part, stated that its congratulatory message was merely an expression of popular enthusiasm and unrelated to the scandal.
