Miss Nicaragua beauty pageant director quits following treason accusations involving Miss Universe

Karen Celebertti, the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant has stepped down from her position, roughly 10 days after she was accused of treason by the Nicaraguan government.

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Celebertti took to social media to post a message announcing her retirement, without giving further details about her future.

“The time has come for my retirement. I know that there will always be more opportunities for us," Celebertti wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Miss Universe Organisation said in a statement on its Facebook page that it had indeed received the resignation letter of Celebertti.

"This week, we accepted the resignation of Karen Celebertti, national director of Miss Universe Nicaragua. We thank her for her exemplary work with our organisation for the past 23 years."

The accusations were hurled against Celebertti as soon as Miss Nicaragua Sheynnic Palacioswon the Miss Universe title. Palacios became the first person from the Central American nation to win the pageant which sparked frenzied celebrations.

However, soon, photos of Palacios' involvement in a 2018 anti-government protest started doing the rounds of the internet, triggering the government's anger. Celebertti was accused of promoting Palacios to target the government on the world map.

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Nicaraguan government's allegations

Initially, President Daniel Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, welcomed Palacios's victory, saying it was a moment of "pride and joy" but quickly changed his tune when her links to the 2018 anti-government demonstration went viral.

Rosario Murillo, Ortega's wife and the country's vice president alleged that “coup plotters” were planning “manufactured provocations” under the pretext of celebrating Miss Universe.

According to local media reports, the police have arrested Celebertti's husband and son, who co-own the local Miss Universe franchise with all three accused of treason.

In a statement, the police said the family "remained in communication with exponents of treason to the homeland" and that they used their franchises and platforms to conspire and turn the contests into "traps and political ambushes, financed by foreign agents".

Despite the allegations levelled by the Nicaraguan government, Palacios has barely said anything overtly political before or after winning the pageant.

While Palacios is yet to return to Nicaragua, Celebertti and her daughter Luciana were barred from entering the country on November 22 by the immigration authorities as they were returning from Mexico.

(With inputs from agencies)