Miss Universe Argentina stripped of her crown after infuriating judges with outrageous outburst

By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-07 23:18:53 | Updated at 2025-01-13 05:18:05 5 days ago
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By ADRIANO TORRES FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 22:40 GMT, 7 January 2025 | Updated: 22:48 GMT, 7 January 2025

Beauty queen Magalí Benejam has been stripped of her Miss Universe Argentina crown after she made a series of controversial remarks.

Benejam, 30, claimed during a live stream that the competition was rigged after it was won by Danish beauty Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, 21, in Mexico City in November.

'When they announced the Top 5, I saw the judges looking at each other in [strange] ways,' Benejam said. 

'They started looking at each other as if to say, "This is not what we chose, this is not what I chose." That's what it felt like from the outside, and that's where I said, "OK, this is fixed." It was always fixed, every year.'

Benejam placed 12th in the competition and was highly critical of how the Miss Universe Organization became inclusive by eliminating its age restriction for the 73rd pageant.

The beauty competition also permitted the participation of married women, mothers and transgender people.

The Córdoba resident also slammed the attitude of Miss Dominican Republic Celinee Santos.

She added that Miss Puerto Rico Jennifer Colón stopped being friendly as the night of the crowning neared.

Miss Argentina Magalí Benejam was stripped of her Miss Universe Argentina title on January 2 following her controversial remarks during an interview on the King Lucho YouTube live stream that critiqued the beauty pageant and its contestants  

Miss Argentina said the Miss Universe beauty pageant  'was always fixed'

'I spoke to her a couple of times, but the last few days she decided to stop talking to me, I don't know why,' Benejam recalled. 

'I guess she was very nervous and very much in her element and it happened to me that in the last two days I said to her, "Hi, Jenny, how are you?" and she looked at me and didn't answer.'

Benejam also took a shot at Colón's attire for the final.

'I think it was a complete decision of her organization, I don't think she had a say here because what I saw of her style during the competition had been very nice,' she said.

The Miss Universe Organization announced its decision to remove Benejam's title as Miss Universe Argentina in a press release statement, which it issued January 2.

'Our values focus on celebrating diversity, promoting inclusion, and respecting all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or experiences,' the international beauty pageant organizer said.

'The words and actions of our representatives must reflect these unwavering principles to which all participants commit upon joining the Miss Universe community.

'The decision comes after careful consideration and aligns with our commitment to uphold the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. We want to emphasize that this action is taken to protect the integrity of the organization and the opportunities it provides to women around the world.'

Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, 21, was named the 73rd Miss Universe Saturday night in Mexico City. The Danish student beat out more than 120 other contestants to do so

Benejam was also critical of Miss Dominican Republic's attitude 

Portugal's Marina Machete, a transgender woman, placed in the top 20 of the pageant last year

DailyMail.com reached out to Benejam, Santos and Colón for comment.

Theilvig beat out more than 120 other contestants after the 2023 competition featured married, plus-sized, and transgender contestants.

Her victory went viral as people online commented how things were 'returning to normalcy' because a woman had taken the crown.

It followed backlash to the previous year's competition over the inclusion of a transgender beauty queen, Portugal's Marina Machete, who placed in the top 20.

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