Nicaraguan police have announced their intention to arrest Karen Celebertti, the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant, on charges of deliberately rigging the contests in favor of anti-government beauty queens. They accuse Celebertti of being involved in a plot to overthrow the government, reminiscent of a vintage James Bond movie with its repressive government, coup-plotting claims, foreign agents, and beauty queens.

The controversy began on November 18th, when Sheynnis Palacios, Miss Nicaragua, won the Miss Universe competition. Initially, President Daniel Ortega's government saw her win as a rare public relations victory, celebrating it as a moment of "legitimate joy and pride." However, the tone quickly changed when it came to light that Palacios had posted photos on Facebook showing her participation in one of the mass anti-government protests in 2018. These protests were met with violent repression, resulting in the deaths of 355 people at the hands of government forces.

Ortega claimed that the protests were an attempted coup supported by foreign entities with the aim of overthrowing his government. His opponents, on the other hand, argued that Nicaraguans were protesting against his increasingly repressive rule and his continuous desire to hold onto power. The National Police released a statement accusing Celebertti of actively participating in the "terrorist actions of a failed coup," referring to the 2018 protests.

Reports suggest that Celebertti managed to evade the police after being denied entry into the country a few days ago. However, local media outlets have reported that her husband and son have been taken into custody. The three of them now face charges of "treason to the motherland." So far, they have not publicly addressed the accusations against them.

According to the police statement, Celebertti remained in contact with the opposition and offered to use the beauty pageant's franchises, platforms, and spaces to promote what appeared to be innocent events but were actually traps and political ambushes funded by foreign agents. The fact that many ordinary Nicaraguans, who are typically prohibited from protesting or displaying the national flag in marches, took to the streets to celebrate the Miss Universe win further aggravated the government. Their use of the blue-and-white national flag, instead of Ortega's red-and-black Sandinista banner, was seen as a direct affront to the government.

Just five days after Palacios' victory, Vice President and First Lady Rosario Murillo criticized opposition social media accounts (many operated from exile) that celebrated the win as a victory against the government. Murillo referred to these commentators as "evil terrorists" attempting to undermine a beautiful and well-deserved moment of national pride.

In response to the discontent and opposition, Ortega's government closed down the Jesuit University of Central America, which had been a key hub for the 2018 protests against his regime. Additionally, at least 26 other Nicaraguan universities were seized and closed. The government has also banned or shut down over 3,000 civic groups and non-governmental organizations, arrested and expelled opposition members, revoked their citizenship, and confiscated their assets. As a result, thousands have been forced into exile.

Meanwhile, Palacios, the first Nicaraguan to win Miss Universe, has remained silent on the matter. During the competition, the 23-year-old expressed her desire to advocate for mental health awareness after experiencing debilitating bouts of anxiety herself. She also emphasized her commitment to closing the gender pay gap. However, a Facebook account under her name, which has since been deleted, showed her posting photos and expressing her initial fear of participating in the protests, stating, "I didn't know whether to go, I was afraid of what might happen." Some attendees of the march recall seeing the tall and striking Palacios among the protesters.