The director of the Miss Nicaragua magnificence pageant is stepping down 9 days after she was accused of “conspiracy” and “treason” by the police.
“The time has come for my retirement,” Karen Celebertti wrote on X, previously Twitter. “I know that there will always be more opportunities for us.”
It was her first public assertion since the scandal following the coronation of Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios as Miss Universe on 18 November in El Salvador.
Ms Celebertti had been accused of rigging magnificence occasions in order that contestants with anti-government views gained.
But the businesswoman mentioned she had labored for 23 years “with zeal and effort” till Nicaragua gained the Miss Universe magnificence crown this 12 months, which she described “as an achievement for everyone” and “for every Nicaraguan, without political distinction”.
Why is Nicaragua’s president not comfortable about Miss Universe win?
Ms Palacios’ shock victory within the contest sparked joyous demonstrations within the streets of Nicaragua, which President Daniel Ortega’s authorities criticised.
Some of these celebrating the win carried the blue and white nationwide flag reasonably than the president’s crimson and black Sandinista banner, which was met with anger from his spouse and vp Rosario Murillo.
It additionally emerged Ms Palacios had posted photographs of herself on Facebook taking part in one of many mass anti-government protests within the nation in 2018.
At the time, the demonstrations have been violently repressed – with Mr Ortega claiming he was pressured to behave to cease an tried coup with international backing.
His opponents argued Nicaraguans have been protesting towards his more and more repressive rule and a seemingly limitless urge to stay in energy.
At least 355 folks have been killed by authorities forces, human rights teams say.
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‘Organised crime’ accusations
Ms Celebertti and her daughter Luciana have been prevented from coming into the nation by immigration authorities on 22 November after they attended Ms Palacios’ coronation as Miss Universe and accompanied her on a brief journey to Mexico.
It was later introduced police had raided Ms Celebertti’s house within the southwest of the capital Managua and arrested her husband, Martin Arguello, and their son Bernardo.
Without confirming the arrest the authorities accused the three members of the Arguello Celebertti household on 2 December of the crimes of treason, conspiracy and “organised crime”.
A press release by the National Police claimed Ms Celebertti “participated actively, on the internet and in the streets in the terrorist actions of a failed coup,” in an obvious reference to the 2018 protests.
Source: information.sky.com”