By Zoila Palma: The Miss Universe Organisation (MUO), long associated with glamour and prestige, is now facing one of the most serious crises in its history.
Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, the organisation’s co-owner, has been thrust into the center of a sweeping criminal investigation in Mexico, transforming what should have been a celebration of international pageantry into a saga of legal turmoil and public distrust.
The allegations against him—unveiled just as the 2025 competition concluded under a cloud of controversy—have cast a heavy shadow over the pageant’s global reputation, IBT reports.
According to International Business Times, federal prosecutors in Mexico have charged Rocha Cantú with involvement in a wide-ranging criminal network linked to drug trafficking, illicit fuel smuggling, weapons distribution, and organized crime.
Court filings outline a complex cross-border scheme that allegedly involved the illegal extraction of fuel from Guatemala, the modification of its chemical makeup to conceal its origin, and its resale through companies tied to Rocha Cantú.
Investigators say the same network facilitated the procurement and movement of firearms to criminal groups operating across several Mexican states.
Police confirmed that Rocha Cantú recently agreed to cooperate with investigators after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
The timing of the legal revelations has heightened the turmoil already gripping the Miss Universe Organisation.
Internal instability—marked by leadership shake-ups and accusations of financial mismanagement—had already pushed the pageant into deeper scrutiny. This year’s competition in Bangkok was further marred by allegations of interference, resignations from judges, and claims that the selection of Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, as the 2025 titleholder was manipulated.
The post International News: Arrest warrant issued for Miss Universe co-owner; accused of fuel smuggling and organised crime appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Miss Universe Organisation (MUO), long associated with glamour and prestige, is now facing one of the most serious crises in its history. Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, the organisation’s co-owner, has been thrust into the center of a sweeping criminal investigation in Mexico, transforming what should have been a celebration of
The post International News: Arrest warrant issued for Miss Universe co-owner; accused of fuel smuggling and organised crime appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
