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Nia Sanchez, who previously won Miss USA in 2014, has weighed in on the Miss Universe scandal surrounding reigning Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch. “She spoke out, and I’m very proud of her,” Sanchez, 35, said on the Thursday, November 6, episode of her “Hold My Crown” podcast. “A lot of these women are in their 20s and, while you are very empowered, it is a little bit scary from my perspective. I wanted to win Miss Universe, I wasn’t there to ruffle feathers.” She continued, “I just wanted to do my very best. I imagine, if I were in her shoes, I would know I need to speak out and say something … but also be nervous and not want to hurt my chances of winning or doing well in the competition.” During the recent Miss Universe sash ceremony, Bosch, 25, allegedly had a tense altercation with Thai pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil, who seemingly called the model a “dumb head.” “We respect you, just as you should respect us,” Bosch replied. “I’m here representing my country, and it’s not my fault you have problems with my organization.” In response, Itsaragrisil, 60, told Bosch that she needed to listen before arguing with him. Bosch subsequently left the venue followed by several other contestants in solidarity. “I’m glad she spoke up and made it clear that she was not trying to disrespect the Thai people or the Thai culture,” Sanchez said. “There’s a lot of cultural differences where you could see that as a big form of disrespect … and it was just that specific person she had an issue with. It wasn’t even her, [it was that] ‘He has an issue with my organization, and I’m trying to do my best to represent my country.’” According to The Valley star, Bosch “shouldn’t be punished” for her comments and following the guidelines of her organization. “I’m glad that she did decide to speak to the fans,” Sanchez’s podcast guest, former Miss California Meagan Tandy, noted on Thursday. “You don’t know what narrative he would have put out there ‘cause the girls don’t speak Thai. I think this was her opportunity to say, ‘Hey, before he says X, Y, Z, this is what happened.’ I commend her for that, and I’m glad that she had the support of so many girls because that could be very lonesome if you were there by yourself.” Sanchez further theorized that the alteration likely caused a “tough situation” for the rest of the Miss Universe hopefuls. “I do hope that they do a lot better moving forward,” Sanchez said, reflecting on her days competing in the pageant. “I feel like everyone involved [in the organization] had respect for women. I don’t know Nawat’s heart, but the way he was speaking to her … I don’t feel like he has respect for women. Maybe you see it as a way to make a lot of money?” She concluded, “I think the baseline needs to be respecting and empowering women, and when that is not happening, something needs to change and change immediately.” As for Itsaragrisil, he has since apologized for insulting Bosch.
