Lupita Jones

 Mexican Miss Universe acquires Miss Grand license for Mexico

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

After losing the Miss Universe franchise following the El Salvador edition, and replaced as Miss Universe Mexico's national director by dethroned Miss World Mexico 2010 queen Cynthia de la Vega, former titleholder Lupita Jones (1991) has set her sights on another pageant system.

Mexico's first Miss Universe winner acquired recently the Miss Grand International franchise for her country. After severing ties with the Miss Universe Organization, owned by Anne Jakrajutatip, Lupita's new allegiance is with another Thai pageant founder/owner.

The former organizers of the national pageant had voiced their discontent on social media when their delegates did not place in the international finals. They alluded to completely dropping out of the organization. However, they still sent a delegate in each annual edition since they participated in 2018.

The Mexican delegates to the MGI finals were Lezly Diaz (2018), Maria Malo (2019), Angela Yuriar (2020), Mariana Macias (2021), Faysha Salazar (2022), and Maria Fernanda Beltran (2023).

MGI president Nawat Itsaragrisil must be pleased with this licensing agreement with Lupita as the move could be seen as a 'change of heart' on the part of the new Mexican national director.

In the six years of Mexico's participation from 2018 through 2023, it only placed once. Miss Grand Mexico 2020 Angela Yuriar went on to the Top 10 round, as well as win the Best in Evening Gown award for that year.