Italy Mora, the Miss Universe contestant from Panama, has been disqualified just days before the competition’s finale due to a personal scandal. While the official reason for her dismissal has not been revealed, speculation suggests it involves an unauthorised visit to her boyfriend’s hotel room, according to the New York Post. Reports claim that Ms Mora allegedly visited her boyfriend, Juan Abadia, in his separate hotel room in Mexico without the organisers’ permission.
Ms Mora, however, disputes these rumours, asserting that her removal stemmed from a disagreement with Cesar Anel Rodriguez, the director of Miss Universe Panama, over what she described as poor event organisation. She explained that her boyfriend was present during this exchange. The situation intensified after Mr Abadia disclosed that he had paid for her expenses, including a $7,000 Carolina Herrera dress, due to alleged financial negligence by the organisers.
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“Cesar said he didn’t have the money to cover the hotel or makeup costs,” Ms Mora stated.
The final tipping point occurred when pageant staff discovered Ms Mora with Mr Abadia, leading to accusations of an unauthorised visit to his hotel room.
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Despite her efforts to appeal to pageant officials, the decision was upheld. Ms Mora confirmed her exit, expressing disappointment and noting that she had followed instructions without anticipating the consequences. “There’s a lot of speculation that needs to be cleared up because it’s impacting my reputation, and emotionally, it’s been difficult. If I weren’t with my boyfriend, I’d be struggling even more,” she shared.
The Miss Universe organization has declined to reconsider their ruling, leaving Panama without a replacement contestant. The pageant management team stated that Ms Mora had undergone an “exhaustive evaluation by our disciplinary commission” due to the alleged “personal error.”
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Miss Universe representatives addressed her removal in a statement, saying, “It is important to note that we made this decision with the utmost respect for all parties involved. Our number one priority remains the welfare and transparency for all of our candidates, who exemplify diversity, talent and dedication.”
At 19, Ms Mora had been set to compete alongside 130 international delegates at the Miss Universe competition in Mexico City on November 16. Following her disqualification, the Miss Panama Organization released a statement, noting they had arranged for her return to Panama.
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