Spanish
Bangkok - The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) announced this Sunday that it will move its headquarters from Mexico to New York, where it was based for decades, amid the legal processes facing the owners of the organization, the Mexican Raúl Rocha and the Thai Anne Jakrajutatip.
In a statement, the company that owns the popular beauty pageant announced that this decision will take effect "immediately" and seeks to "withdraw its administrative operations" from Mexico City and relocate them to the organization's headquarters in New York, "where they have historically been established."
"This decision arises from a thorough and responsible evaluation of the current conditions in Mexico, which do not provide an adequate or stable environment for the safe and effective operation of an international organization of this magnitude," says the writing, signed by Rocha, president and owner of 50% of the brand.
The businessman is being investigated by the Mexican Attorney General's Office due to alleged ties to organized crime, particularly for drug trafficking, fuel smuggling, and arms trafficking, a case for which the Treasury authorities - according to official sources cited in the media of that country - blocked bank accounts in his name this month.
"Legal uncertainty, the current security situation and unfounded attacks with political motivations that have compromised the institutional framework necessary for long-term operational stability and global projection" are some of the factors that justify the relocation of MUO's headquarters, the document continues.
The company, the document continues, plans to bring to New York the existing staff "that is possible" and make new hires, amid a transition that includes the departure of Mario Búcaro -former Guatemalan foreign minister- from the position of executive director, announced the day before.
The relocation of the headquarters is a decision made "with firmness, responsibility and with the long-term future of the organization as a priority", insists the company, which reiterated its commitment to "institutional integrity and the protection of its legacy", of 74 years.
In addition to the investigation for alleged links to organized crime, Rocha has been accused - although without evidence - of favoring the representative of Mexico, Fátima Bosch, winner of the 74th edition of the contest, held on November 21 in Bangkok.
Behind these allegations of supposed fraud is the French-Lebanese composer Omar Harfouch, who also threatened to take legal action against the MUO for alleged crimes such as "fraud, abuse of power, corruption, deception, breach of contract, conflict of interest and moral and reputational damage".
In addition, at the end of November, a Thai court issued an arrest warrant against Anne Jakrajutatip, the co-owner of the other 50% of Miss Universe, in relation to an alleged fraud case worth nearly one million euros, which is unrelated to Bosch's recent triumph. The warrant was issued for failing to appear in a criminal case, as confirmed to EFE by the Bangkok South Kwaeng court, in charge of the process, without adding further details in this regard.
