The owner of the Miss Universe franchise in Nicaragua, Karen Celebertti, has been charged with conspiracy, money laundering, and spreading fake news. This comes shortly after Nicaragua’s first-ever victory in the Miss Universe pageant. Celebertti, along with her husband and son, has been accused by authorities of conspiring against the government.

According to the national police, Celebertti’s Miss Nicaragua organization has been allegedly used to carry out political agendas and financed by foreign agents. Celebertti and her representatives were unavailable for comment at the time of reporting.

In addition to the charges, Celebertti was banned from entering the country on October 21. Her husband and son have been detained in Nicaragua since 2018 on conspiracy charges related to organizing anti-government protests.

The winner of the Miss Universe title, Sheynnis Palacios, hailing from Nicaragua, has not returned home since her victory and is currently living in New York. The Nicaraguan people celebrated Palacios’ triumph, but now the police are accusing the pageant organizers of attempting to orchestrate anti-government protests.

It is important to note that the Nicaraguan government has previously banned protests following a violent crackdown on widespread anti-government demonstrations in 2018. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported over 320 deaths during the protests.

These recent developments have raised concerns about the intersection of beauty pageants and politics in Nicaragua. The charges against Celebertti and her alleged involvement in spreading fake news highlight the potential misuse of platforms such as Miss Nicaragua for ulterior motives.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the people of Nicaragua eagerly await further information regarding the charges against Celebertti and the implications this may have for the future of Miss Nicaragua.