The Miss Universe Organization said on Dec. 13 it will relocate its administrative headquarters from Mexico City to New York, citing legal uncertainty, security concerns and politically motivated attacks in Mexico. The move follows reporting that Mexican prosecutors are investigating president Raul Rocha for alleged trafficking of fuel, drugs and weapons between Guatemala and Mexico. The decision comes amid a contested Miss Universe 2025 cycle that ended with Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch's victory.
Miss Universe Moves Headquarters Back to New York Amid Criminal Probe of President Raul Rocha
Hector Vivas/GettyRaul Rocha.
The Miss Universe Organization announced on Dec. 13 that it will move its administrative headquarters from Mexico City back to New York City amid an ongoing criminal investigation into the pageant’s president, Raul Rocha.
In an official press release, the organization said the decision followed a "thorough and responsible assessment of the current conditions in Mexico," citing legal uncertainty, concerns about the security environment and what it described as unfounded and politically motivated attacks that undermined the institutional framework required for long-term operations and global projection.
Joy Malone/GettyRaul Rocha.
The organization said the administrative unit in Mexico had been established to support its New York headquarters and serve as a global operations base with the aim of creating jobs, driving economic impact and offering international exposure. The release, signed by Rocha, said those goals "could not be realized" under current circumstances and added that existing Mexican staff would be relocated where possible or replaced by hires in New York and other operational regions.
The organization specifically cited legal uncertainty, the current security situation and unfounded and politically motivated attacks as factors that compromised operational stability.
Mexican prosecutors, and reporting by the newspaper Reforma, have accused Rocha of leading a criminal organization allegedly involved in trafficking fuel, drugs and weapons between Guatemala and Mexico. Authorities say fuel shipments were transported by boat along the Usumacinta River and then moved by truck to the central state of Querétaro. Reforma has reported that raids on several properties allegedly produced records of monetary contributions linked to the enterprise, including a cited payment of 2.1 million pesos.
Arnun Chonmahatrakool/Thai News Pix/LightRocket via GettyMiss Mexico Fatima Bosch is crowned 2025's Miss Universe.
Earlier this year, on Aug. 6, Yazmín Mayoral Marín, an agent with Mexico’s Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime, reportedly requested an arrest warrant for Rocha on organized-crime charges related to alleged drug and firearm trafficking. Reforma also reported that Rocha approached prosecutors in October about negotiating a possible plea arrangement to exchange information for immunity, according to unnamed federal sources.
The announcement arrives weeks after the Miss Universe 2025 pageant concluded on Nov. 21 with the crowning of Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch. That contest cycle was marred by controversy, including a heated confrontation between a contestant and an executive, several judges withdrawing shortly before the event, and allegations of scoring misconduct. In late November Rocha said he was open to selling his stake in the organization, describing his role and ownership and asking, in translation, 'Who do I pass the baton to?'
The Miss Universe Organization thanked countries that had expressed willingness to host regional offices and stressed that the move back to New York is intended to preserve governance, stability and global operations. The organization has said it will relocate staff where feasible and hire new personnel in New York and other locations.
Neither Rocha nor representatives for the Miss Universe Organization provided comment to People at the time of publication. The allegations against Rocha remain unproven and the investigation is ongoing.
