Issues hound Miss Eco International 2026
Is a Miss Universe 2025 déjà vu unfolding at this year’s Miss Eco International (MEI)? The Egypt-based pageant, which crowned Mexico’s Palmira Ruiz as successor to the Philippines’ Alexie Brooks last Saturday, May 23, has been facing backlash amid allegations that the results were rigged.
Vietnam’s Nguy?n Th? Thu Trúc was excluded from the Top 10 despite winning the People’s Choice vote, which many supporters believed guaranteed a semifinal placement. She was instead named Miss Eco Asia. During the finals, she confronted organizers onstage over her failure to advance to the Top 10.
As the voting system involved paid votes, the organization released a statement a day later explaining the change in mechanics. “The campaign was initially communicated as a Top 10 advancement opportunity intended to encourage fan engagement and supporter participation,” MEI stated.
“During the final stages of the competition, the advancement structure was ultimately integrated into the official judging and overall evaluation system to ensure balance and fairness within the final results.”
Pageant vlogger Luis Portelles criticized the explanation, calling it a “textbook definition of false advertising” and questioning whether refunds would be issued to voters.
The controversy escalated further after the organization stripped Nguyen of her Miss Eco Asia title and revoked her organization’s local franchise rights over alleged “documented attempts” of bribery by its national director.
In its statement, the organization claimed Nguyen had already been selected for the continental title before finals night, but said her decision to publicly confront organizers “did not meet the standard her title demands.”
Cebuana beauty queen Gabbi Carballo, who represented the Philippines and finished as a Top 21 finalist, publicly expressed support for Nguyen through her Instagram Story. “I stand with Miss Vietnam, a courageous woman who used her voice in the midst of a crucial moment,” she wrote.
Carballo later addressed rumors online alleging that the competition had already predetermined its results. Responding to a TikTok comment asking about the designer behind her disparaged emerald green evening gown, Carballo said: “I’ll just be frank and say that there’s no use pointing fingers anymore. No matter what gown I wore or how I performed, there was already a Top 10 with criteria that I am not aware of. Others noticed the difference in the light in my eyes from MUP to MEI...”
She also alleged that several candidates felt the results had already been decided long before the coronation. “We all already had a feeling that was going to happen starting from the resort wear,” she commented on a Facebook post by The Business of Pageantry discussing the win of Ruiz, whose final Q&A performance drew criticism online.
“Coronation night was literally just a showcase,” Carballo added. “The Top 10 list was given to the host before the Top 21 evening gown competition even ended, and they were lined up backstage right away.”
Pageant vlogger Divastar_KLao later claimed that Carballo had been offered Nguyen’s continental title but “politely declined.” Responding to a fan comment on Facebook, Carballo wrote: “Di talaga aligned sa'kin so I am very, very protected to not have a title under them.”
She also replied to comments from fans who observed that she appeared visibly unhappy during the competition. One Facebook user wrote: “Napansin ko during gown parang hindi siya happy. Baka doon pa lang alam na niya,” to which Carballo responded: “Aware ako since carnival costume hahaha.”
In a TikTok video where Carballo captioned, “Oh the things all these girls are slowly about to spill,” she hinted at more revelations surrounding the pageant from her fellow candidates. Thailand delegate Jessica Niinimaa commented “Yep,” to which Carballo replied: “Hahahaha we survived.”
When The FREEMAN reached out to Carballo and Miss Universe Philippines Cebu director Irma Payod-Bitzer for comment, both said they would elaborate further on the issue at a later date.
Meanwhile, Niinimaa’s organization, Miss Grand Thailand, announced it would no longer send delegates to MEI due to what it described as unfair treatment of candidates.
In a statement, the organization alleged that contestants were asked to shoulder additional transportation costs from the airport, pay separately for sightseeing activities including trips to the pyramids, and provide refundable deposits without clear details on reimbursement.
“[Miss Grand Thailand] considers such actions inappropriate, lacking proper standards of contestant care, and potentially exploitative and dishonest toward participants,” the statement read. “Airport transfers, transportation arrangements, and official competition activities should reasonably fall under the responsibility and proper management of the organizing body, with the welfare and rights of contestants treated as a priority.”
This is not the first time the latest MEI titleholder, Ruiz, has found herself linked to pageant controversy. During her stint at Miss Global 2019, reports alleged that a local sponsor attempted to influence the competition in Ruiz’s favor while Mexico served as host country. Testimonies from candidates that year alleged that Ruiz received preferential treatment, including having a private room while other candidates shared accommodations, as well as being allowed to arrive late to rehearsals.
That pageant was eventually won by Karolina Kokesova of the Czech Republic. Miss Global owner Van Pham later confirmed that a sponsor had indeed attempted to manipulate the results, but said the organization refused to compromise its rules over financial influence.
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