MEXICO CITY (AP) — The director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant, Karen Celebertti, on Monday announced her retirement from the organization, nine days after the Nicaraguan police accused her of “conspiracy” and other crimes along with her husband and son, who are detained.
“The time has come for my retirement,” Celebertti wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I know that there will always be more opportunities for us.”
It was Celebertti’s first public statement after the scandal that followed the coronation of Sheynnis Palacios as Miss Universe on Nov. 18 in El Salvador.
The businesswoman said that she worked for 23 years “with zeal and effort” until Nicaragua won the world beauty crown this year, which she described “as an achievement for everyone” and “for every Nicaraguan, without political distinction.”
Palacios’ surprise victory in the contest unleashed demonstrations of joy in the streets of Nicaragua, prompting criticism by the government of Daniel Ortega.
According to the local press, immigration authorities prevented Celebertti and her daughter Luciana from entering the country on Nov. 22, after they attended Palacios’ coronation and accompanied her on a short trip to Mexico.
Later, it was announced that the police raided Celebertti’s home in the southwest of Managua and arrested her husband, Martín Argüello, and their son, Bernardo.
Without confirming the arrest, the authorities accused the three members of the Argüello Celebertti family on Dec. 2 of the crimes of treason, conspiracy and “organized crime.”
A statement by the National Police claimed Celebertti “participated actively, on the internet and in the streets in the terrorist actions of a failed coup,” an apparent reference to the 2018 protests.
Since the 2018 mass anti-government protests, President Daniel Ortega’s government has seized and closed at least 27 Nicaraguan universities — including Palacios’ alma mater, the Jesuit University of Central America in Nicaragua, which was a hub for the protests. Palacios had shared photos of herself at the protests in a now-deleted Facebook post.
Thousands have fled into exile as Ortega’s government claims the protests were an attempted coup with foreign backing, aiming for his overthrow.
In a statement, the Miss Universe Organization confirmed Celebertti had resigned and thanked her for her “exemplary work with our organization over the past 23 years.”
“Karen (Celebertti) and her team have gone above and beyond the requirements of any franchisee, and we stand by our partners in asserting the transparency and integrity of their pageant. Her professionalism and love for the women she works with speak for themselves. She has asked fans to highlight Nicaragua’s first international win as an achievement free of politics and regional distinctions, to be celebrated by all of the country and the world.
The statement adds that the organization is “glad” to call Palacios Miss Universe 2023.
“Going forward, we are seeking a peaceful resolution of the issues raised by the country of Nicaragua, as well as the safety of everyone associated with the organization,” the statement concludes. “We hope that the country will continue to come together and support Sheynnis (Palacios) and Karen (Celebertti) as they advocate for a future forged by women — and to celebrate the beautiful culture and people of Nicaragua.”
