Mystery as Miss Universe contestant is stripped of her title and disqualified from competition - but organizers wont say why

A beauty queen who was set to represent Panama in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant has been removed from the competition after she mysteriously broke her contractual obligations with the events organizer.

Miss Panama Italy Mora explained in an Instagram post that she had left her Mexico City hotel room without permission to get her makeup done for a gala she was attending on November 1, a day before she was disqualified.

I was told that this measure was taken due to non-compliance with leaving the room, which I admit occurred to put on makeup and collect personal items, Mora revealed in the November 3 post. 

Unfortunately, I trusted and followed instructions without measuring the consequences.

Miss Panama Italy Mora has been removed from the Miss Universe pageant after she mysteriously broke her contractual obligations with the events organizer

The 19-year-old model said that she was stunned by the Miss Universe Organizations decision to drop her from the 73rd pageant, which is set to take place November 16 in Mexico City.

However, I want to express that I consider it to be a severe measure and that instead it could have been resolved with a dialogue or a warning, she wrote. 

According to local media outlets, Mora was staying in her hotel room with her boyfriend, Juan Abadía, a violation of the security guidelines imposed by the Miss Universe Organization. 

Italy Mora was stripped of her Miss Panamá crown and will not be representing the Central American nation

The Miss Panama Organization stripped Mora of her Miss Panama crown and chose not to send a replacement to the pageant.

The Miss Panama Organization reaffirms its responsible commitment to the celebration of Miss Universe and, with this same dedication, we are focused on the selection of a new representative who will participate in Miss Universe 2025, who we trust will responsibly fulfill her commitments, the Panamanian organization said.

In an interview with local entertainment outlet La Mordida, Mora revealed that she had an argument with Miss Panama Director Cesar Rodríguez in his hotel room over her makeup.

Mora and her boyfriend claim to have spent $100,000 to cover the cost of competing

Moral will no longer represent Panamá at Miss Universe 2024

Italy Mora was crowned Miss Panamá in August 2024 and was preparing to compete in the Miss Universe pageant on November 16 before she was dropped

The dejected beauty queen said that she had planned to work on her makeup with makeup artists, whose services were contracted by Abadía because Rodríguez claimed not to have money to cover it. 

The hotel room where the makeup session was set to take place was also paid for by Abadía.

In addition, Mora said that they had argued over garments that she needed for the Miss Universe pageant and expressed her discontent that Rodríguez was not covering the cost.

She also claimed to be paying for Rodríguezs hotel room. 

The heated discussion came to an head after 20 minutes, when a Miss Universe Organization staffer appeared at the room, asked for Miss Panama and escorted her to her own room.

I am the one who is affected, Mora told La Mordida. He (Rodríguez) wipes his hands and everyone attacks me.

Former Miss Panama Italy Mora

Juan Abadía said he and his girlfriend spent $100,000 leading up to the Miss Universe pageant before she was told she was being disqualified

 

Mora and Abadía claimed that they spent $100,000 to cover the entire cost of her Miss Panama run and to prepare her for the Miss Universe event.

At least $15,000 was reportedly spent on the trip to Mexico City, where they had to hire makeup artists and pay for Rodríguez’s hotel room.

They claimed to have provided Rodríguez $3,000 to cover a debt he with the Figali Convention Center in Panama City, where the 58th edition of the Miss Panama pageant took place on August 3.

Italys stress was with Cesar, because there was never money for anything, Abadía said. When I arrived, Italy didnt have a single heel, a dress, or a panty. I was the one who bought her everything, including the red Carolina Herrera dress that cost almost $7,000.