分类： entertainment

On a glitzy Saturday night in San Pedro, Belize, Caleigh-Rose West stepped into the spotlight as the newly crowned Miss Universe Belize 2026. But what should have been a triumphant, celebratory moment for the new titleholder quickly unraveled into a public relations crisis for pageant organizers, marred by a string of high-profile mistakes that have sparked widespread public criticism and scrutiny.

The first misstep unfolded during the live announcement of the Top Five finalists. When host Chelsea Munoz called out names, West was initially named as a sixth unexpected contestant, leaving audiences and participants alike confused about whether she had actually earned a spot in the final round. Organizers later clarified the error was caused by a folded tabulation sheet that hid the official correct list of finalists from event presenters. Munoz defended the mistake as an unintended slip-up in a statement to local outlet News Five, noting that live television production creates intense communication challenges for event committees working in real time.

“ It was the same sheet, the tabulation sheet that was used. It was folded. So it honestly was an honest mistake, but the communication part, being on a live TV production is just really hard I believe for the committee members in the moment,” Munoz explained. “Honest mistakes like that happen when we were given results and tabulation scores, we weren’t told that the actual list was on the paper folded inside.”

According to Susie Sibrian, a member of West’s support team, organizers quickly moved to avoid further disruption by deciding to proceed with a Top Six instead of the originally planned Top Five. She added that organizers explicitly confirmed to West that she had rightfully earned her place in the Top Five, and the wrongfully called delegate was another contestant whose identity will not be disclosed publicly.

“That yes, indeed, there was an error, that there was definitely a top five and not a top six, and that a person was called up by error, but that person was not Callie Rose West. It was another delegate. We will not get into disclosing who that was because this is not about it,” Sibrian said. “So they informed us about that information. And then that was very important for Caleigh to hear because she needed that. She needed to know that she deserved to be in that top five place because she did.”

The finalist mix-up was not the only misstep of the evening. The event started far behind schedule, and a digital cultural backdrop designed to highlight Belizean national heritage incorrectly featured Tikal, the iconic ancient Mayan monument located in neighboring Guatemala. The string of errors has amplified questions about the pageant’s quality control, particularly in the wake of a recent ownership change and the tight timeline leading up to the event.

In late June, the Miss Universe Belize franchise was sold to a new foreign owner based in El Salvador. The transition, completed just two months before the national pageant, left little time for full preparation ahead of the international Miss Universe competition scheduled for November. Critics have raised concerns about the impact of the new foreign ownership on Belizean representation and event organization.

Destiny Wagner, the national director of Miss Universe Belize, pushed back against these concerns in on-stage comments, emphasizing that delegates will receive full support ahead of the international competition. She noted that limited preparation time does not inherently undermine a competitor’s ability to succeed, drawing from her own experience winning Miss Earth with just two weeks of preparation.

“Whoever decides to take on this challenge, the why you’re doing it has to be greater than how you’re going to do it,” Wagner said. “Why you’re doing it, is because of Belize, because you want to put us on the map, because you want to represent us to the best of your ability, showcase our culture. That is your why. How you’re going to do it, in terms of your preparation and training matters but that why is what is going to give you the drive. And I also want to point out that when I won Miss Earth, I only had two weeks to prepare. So if you want it and you’re hungry for it. It doesn’t matter if you have one day or five, what’s meant for you is gonna be meant for you.”

Munoz acknowledged that communication gaps and organizational missteps occurred during the event, but echoed the call to shift focus back to West. She noted that organizers worked to the best of their ability under the constraints of a tight timeline, and that the mistakes are simply learning lessons for the new ownership team.

“To put on a show of this magnitude, it takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of preparation and I do believe they did the best they could with the limited time they had,” Munoz said. “Can things go smoothly? Like a little bit better? Yes, they could have gone a lot better. Was there time for preparation when it comes to MC, the script that was given to us. Things could have gone smoothly but they’re just learning lessons.”

As of publication, News Five has not received an additional comment from Wagner following requests for further statement. News Five’s Britney Gordon is set to air an in-depth investigation into the pageant missteps on its evening broadcast, and this report is a transcript of the outlet’s original television segment.

On a vibrant Saturday night in August 2026, the Belize Civic Center played host to one of the nation’s most anticipated cultural showcases: the annual Carnival King and Queen competition, where mas bands from across the region gathered to turn months of meticulous craftsmanship and creative vision into a breathtaking stage spectacle.

Far more than a simple contest of flashy aesthetics, the event frames every intricate detail of competing costumes—from hand-stitched beads to towering handcrafted structural frames—as a vessel for storytelling. Each masquerader poured hours of work into refining their designs, turning personal and thematic concepts into larger-than-life performances that celebrated Belize’s rich carnival heritage.

When judges finalized their scores, local group Mother Nature Creation emerged as the night’s standout success, pulling off a rare clean sweep of the senior division by claiming both the Senior King and Senior Queen crowns. For Vanessa Williams, the newly crowned Senior Queen, the victory held extra meaning: she had considered stepping away from competition before her team convinced her to return, and the win marked her second senior title. “It feels great. I mean, I had a lot of support as a lot of people pushed me. I was deciding not to go back, but my team, they was all behind me and it does feel great to bring home back this victory,” Williams shared after the announcement.

First-time Senior King Ryan Davis, Williams’ teammate from Mother Nature Creation, outlined the deep thematic narrative behind their paired winning costumes. Davis’ costume, centered on his character King Aurelius—sovereign of planetary tempest—paired with Williams’ design to explore the universal theme of balance. “My costume is backed up from stars, moon. Well, my character is King Aurelius, sovereign of planetary tempest, which means that I bring the light while my queen brings the shadows. So with that being said, it’s the balance, the push, the pull, the love, the hate, the creation and the destruction of everything, which manifests in every creation and every synchronicity. So without her, my balance, my power goes unchecked. So this is the story between every living relationship within the universe that tells. It transcends to everything from us to the universe,” Davis explained.

The senior division was not the only highlight of the evening, as the competition also showcased the next generation of carnival talent in the junior categories. Collet Royals claimed the Junior Queen title with Jerilee Enriquez at its helm, whose costume paid tribute to the unsung skilled seamstresses that keep Belize’s carnival traditions alive. “My costume is all about all hard-working seamstresses in our community, whereby, like, they help us with beautiful costume, or if we need something to like go out, we always have our seamstresses to help us out with our wonderful and colorful costumes,” Enriquez said.

Nile Hamilton of Soca Massive took home the Junior King crown, echoing the infectious joy that draws so many Belizeans to carnival year after year. “What most I like about Carnival is about excitements, the crowd, the dance, the energy, how everybody move and thing,” Hamilton shared.

Though only one act could claim each title, organizers and participants emphasized that the true heart of carnival lies in collective celebration. Every participating mas band brought a unique artistic vision to the stage, and all contributions help keep the centuries-old cultural tradition thriving. “Come out. Come out, enjoy yourself, have fun. That’s Carnival for you. Just to have fun,” explained Keeran Ysaguirre of Soca Moca, echoing the widespread sentiment of the night.

As this year’s winners begin their victory celebrations, the entire Belize carnival community now turns its attention to the next major event on the calendar: the upcoming Carnival Road March. This report was compiled by Shane Williams for News Five, from a transcript of the outlet’s evening television broadcast.

For generations, music from Belize has served as a living tapestry of the nation’s experiences, weaving together stories of love, loss, community gathering and everyday life. While traditional Belizean sounds continue to evolve through the work of veteran artists, a quiet, steady revolution has been unfolding in the nation’s underground creative spaces: a growing alternative music movement that is carving out space for a new generation of creators. News Five intern Devin Sabal explores how this emerging cohort of musicians is balancing modern alternative expression with deep ties to Belize’s rich cultural roots.

A small group of independent artists including Vivian “Viv” Marin, the band Messmer, and solo act Duck have spent years building Belize’s alternative scene from scratch. Genres like dreampop and shoegaze — hazy, atmospheric subgenres of alternative music that trace their lineage to post-punk and new wave — form a core part of the movement’s sound, but the community embraces a far broader range of experimental styles that exist outside Belize’s mainstream music industry.

Elson Portillo, guitarist for the college-formed five-piece band Messmer, has watched the scene expand dramatically since the group first formed. “When we started there was only one other band here in Cayo that we could play with. And now there’s about, I think I could name about 6 bands that are kind of in the scene, you know?” Portillo said. Though the band faced an uneven welcome in its early days, it has prioritized building a supportive community that encourages new creators to make authentic music that speaks to their experiences.

Viv, a multimedia artist based in San Pedro Town, blends her signature dreamy, ethereal sound with distinctly Belizean cultural influences in tracks like “Integrity” and “Velvet Riddim.” Beyond audio, she incorporates striking original visuals into her self-produced music videos, creating immersive full-spectrum experiences that give each track an independent life. Viv works entirely independently, handling production, creative direction and visuals on her own, which means she often faces tight budget constraints and limited infrastructure for experimental work in Belize.

“I think the biggest limitation is the fact that experimental music is a bit of a stigma in Belize, I feel, sometimes. Like it’s not, there’s not really a space built for it here. And I feel like when people are doing something different, not what people expect, the resources and the platform can feel super limited and I definitely get some pushbacks,” Viv explained. Still, she frames constraints as a catalyst for creativity: “I do everything independently, from the production to the visuals side of it. So I’m constantly dealing with budget limitations and trying to work with what I have but honestly those walls kind of, it just kind of forces me to be more creative with it you know?”

Contrary to common perceptions that frame alternative music as an entirely foreign import disconnected from Belizean identity, veteran producer Randy Sutherland — who has worked with artists across local and international genres — points out deep commonalities between the new alternative movement and Belize’s traditional musical heritage. “Guitar I think has been one thing that’s been fundamental in Belizean genres and now it’s just that like next step right? It’s combining Belizean sounds for example Viv, the artist that you worked with, she has worked with Belizean producers to take that Belizean Sound: Paranda, all these other genres and combined them with indie, funk, jazzy type stuff so I think that’s like the combination,” Sutherland said.

The movement is already earning international attention beyond Belize’s borders. In a 2025 October scene report, popular independent music platform Bandcamp highlighted Duck’s debut EP *Love Letters*, introducing Belize’s alternative sound to a global audience. Viv’s collaborative work with Sutherland also caught the eye of Thomas Mars, lead vocalist of the internationally acclaimed French alternative band Phoenix, who expressed surprise and fascination at the existence of a Belizean alternative scene.

“He was shocked that there was even indie music in Belize or alternative music. Because he didn’t know that Belizeans even knew about that. So he was fascinated and wanted to see more of like that combination of Belizean genres because he’s heard Garifuna music, he wants to see that combined with very slow rock slash alternative slash indie music from Belize. So yeah I think that in some way shape or form Belizeans will create their own identity when it comes to alternative music,” Sutherland noted.

Far from rejecting Belize’s cultural legacy, this new wave of alternative artists is rooted in love for both their nation and the traditional sounds that shaped their creative identities. Even as the sound pushes boundaries, the community is building a movement that is uniquely and unapologetically Belizean. “I’ve met people from different cultures here in Belize in different age ranges that love my music. So like in general yeah i feel like music is meant for everyone, like if it resonates with them then it’s for them,” Viv said.

Sutherland summed up the community’s DIY spirit: “A lot of the current musicians are like, you know what? If there’s no alternative scene, if there’s no indie scene, if there’s no pop punk or whatever scene we’ll make it ourselves.” That spirit is set to reach a major milestone on August 21, when Belize hosts its first ever Indie Pop Festival — a tangible marker of how far the movement has grown, and a celebration of the growing community of alternative artists and fans across the nation.

It has been almost 30 years since iconic rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a 1996 drive-by shooting, and the long-awaited murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis finally got underway this week in a Las Vegas courtroom. The 63-year-old defendant faces a single charge of murder with a deadly weapon, and he has formally entered a plea of not guilty to the accusation.

Prosecutors have laid out their case arguing that Davis did not fire the fatal shots himself, but served as the mastermind who organized the fatal attack as the leader of the group involved in the killing. According to the prosecution’s opening address to the jury, on the night of the shooting, Davis and his companions—including his nephew Orlando Anderson—were traveling through Las Vegas in a white Cadillac when they spotted Shakur and Suge Knight, the head of Death Row Records, near the Strip. The group made a sudden U-turn to intercept the pair, prosecutors claim, with Davis, seated in the front passenger seat, handing a firearm over to the backseat, after which Anderson opened fire directly into the vehicle carrying Shakur and Knight.

The prosecution says the shooting was an act of retaliation for a public altercation earlier that same evening, following a Mike Tyson boxing match, where Shakur and members of his security entourage assaulted Anderson. The entire confrontation was captured on venue security footage. Prosecutors also noted that Davis openly discussed his anger over the assault in his 2019 memoir, and previously admitted his role in organizing the killing during a conversation with a federal task force probing the 1997 murder of fellow rap star Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. That conversation was secretly recorded, and Davis had also spoken publicly about his involvement in the killing back in 2017.

Davis’ legal team has launched a forceful counterattack in its opening statement, urging jurors to approach the prosecution’s narrative with significant skepticism. Defense attorney Michael Sanft argued that the entire case is built on a decades-long investigation rife with procedural errors, including missing original police reports, mishandled physical evidence, and untrustworthy witnesses who have prior criminal records and stand to gain financially from their testimony against Davis.

Since the trial began, prosecutors have begun calling their first witnesses to the stand. A retired Las Vegas police officer testified that he had pulled over Shakur and Knight’s vehicle earlier that night because of a missing rear license plate, and later accompanied Shakur in the ambulance after the shooting, recalling the moment he asked the rapper who had attacked him.

Another witness, Ingrid Stokes, who was driving in the immediate area when the shooting broke out, recounted the sudden chaos that unfolded as gunfire erupted all around her vehicle. “All hell broke loose,” Stokes told the court, describing the fear and confusion of the night.

As the trial continues to progress, additional witnesses are scheduled to testify over the coming days, with both sides expected to lay out all evidence before the jury delivers a verdict in one of the most high-profile unsolved murders in modern entertainment history.

The 2026 Miss Universe Belize pageant has become the center of heated public debate, just months after the national franchise changed hands to new foreign leadership, bringing fresh scrutiny to an event that has been dogged by public backlash for three consecutive years.

Established to celebrate Belizean cultural heritage and feminine beauty, while offering the titleholder a public platform to advance community-focused advocacy work, the Miss Universe Belize franchise has rarely stayed out of the headlines for the right reasons in recent years. In 2024, then-titleholder Halima Hoy drew widespread criticism for a costume design drawing inspiration from the traditional Maya Deer Dance. The following year, the competition’s executive team faced allegations of using AI-generated costume designs for contestants, while 2025 titleholder Isabella Zabeneh sparked public outrage after weighing in on the contentious Mira Millions debate during a political party meeting in Dangriga. Zabeneh later defended her comments, clarifying that she spoke as a private citizen, voter and Belizean exercising freedom of speech, not in her official capacity as titleholder.

The latest controversy unfolded on the night of the 2026 national final, during the highly anticipated announcement of the Top 5 finalists. In an embarrassing live on-stage error, organizers announced six names instead of the planned five. Caleigh Rose-West, who was ultimately crowned the new Miss Universe Belize, was initially called out as the sixth contestant and briefly asked to leave the stage, leaving both in-person spectators and online viewers questioning whether she had legitimately earned a spot in the final five competing for the crown.

Chelsea Muñoz, co-host of the live broadcast, has described the incident as nothing more than an “honest mistake” during a chaotic live production. Speaking to local outlet News 5, Muñoz explained that the hosting team was incorrectly given an outdated tabulation sheet containing contestant scores, and read from the wrong list when rolling out the finalists. “We read a different list from the tabulation scores. So it truly was an honest mistake,” Muñoz stated. She defended Rose-West’s placement, emphasizing that the newly crowned queen had rightfully earned her spot in the Top 5, and the error was simply a misstep in a high-pressure live environment. “It’s easy for people from the outside to look and judge what was happening, without being in that position,” she added.

But members of Rose-West’s own support team have raised questions about how the error was handled post-blunder. Susie Sibrian, a representative for Rose-West’s delegate team, revealed in a post-pageant livestream that organizers privately confirmed the mistake to Rose-West’s camp immediately after the incident, but chose not to issue any public correction or clarification on stage. “The organisation made the decision to proceed with the pageant with all six announced finalists without correcting or naming who was not in fact in the top five,” Sibrian said. “Mistakes happen, but there are things that I think could have been handled differently so that the public can know what exactly was going on.”

The Top 5 announcement error is not the only criticism leveled at the 2026 pageant. Viewers also called out organizers for featuring Guatemala’s iconic Tikal archaeological monument in a pre-recorded segment meant to celebrate Belizean national heritage, a misstep that fueled further skepticism about the new leadership’s familiarity with the country’s cultural identity.

The controversy comes just weeks after the Miss Universe Belize franchise was sold to a new foreign-owned organization based in El Salvador. Even before the competition kicked off, critics raised questions about whether the new executive team had sufficient time to plan and prepare for a national event of this scale. News 5 has confirmed it has reached out to newly appointed National Director Destiny Wagner for additional comment on the controversies, as of publication no response has been issued.

On August 17, 2026, the highly anticipated annual Belize Carnival King and Queen competition concluded at the Belize City Civic Center, bringing together top masquerade troupes from across the region to compete for the most coveted honors of the pre-Carnival celebrations.

In a stunning show of artistic craftsmanship and performance, the Mother Nature Creation mas band emerged as the night’s biggest winner, claiming both the Senior King and Senior Queen crowns in a historic sweep. Competing against entries from a slate of leading mas bands, the troupe’s universe-themed presentation captivated judges and audiences alike, securing the double top honor.

For defending champion Vanessa Williams, who took home the Senior Queen title for the second year in a row, the victory marked a successful title defense alongside her band. Portraying Queen Selora, a core figure in Mother Nature Creation’s interpretation of cosmic order, Williams called her 2025 reign a deeply rewarding experience that let her elevate her band’s profile across the country. “It was exciting to carry the name of Mother Nature Creation forward last year, and this year I’m proud to defend the title,” Williams shared after the win, noting that her character ties directly to the troupe’s overarching theme of exploring the natural and cosmic universe.

Senior King Ryan Davis, whose character drew inspiration from the stars and moon, designed his performance around the theme of universal balance. “I represent the light, while Queen Selora brings the shadows,” Davis explained. “This whole story is about balance: the push and pull, love and hate, creation and destruction that exists in every part of the universe. Without her, my power and balance would go unchecked.” For Davis, the honor of being named Senior King extends far beyond the competition itself: “It’s all about family. It’s not even about the carnival band—it’s the family behind every costume and every performance that makes this possible.”

In the junior divisions, the night’s honors went to two other competing troupes. Collet Royals took home the Junior Queen crown, while Soca Massive claimed the Junior King title, rounding out the full list of 2026 competition winners.

This year’s full Belize Carnival celebration is scheduled for September 5 in Belize City, with the traditional early-morning J’ouvert celebration kicking off at 4:00 a.m., followed by the iconic Carnival Road March at 2:00 p.m. The annual event, sponsored this year by RF&G Insurance Ltd., draws thousands of participants and spectators each year to celebrate Belize’s vibrant cultural carnival tradition.

The 2026 Miss Black International Ambassador (MBIA) pageant has wrapped up its competition, crowning four new global ambassadors from three distinct regions — and making history by awarding two of the four top titles to contestants from Belize. The annual competition, which celebrates Black women across different life stages, divides titles into four categories to recognize participants of varying ages and backgrounds.

The full roster of 2026 crowned ambassadors includes 14-year-old D’Ancy N Ramclam of Belize, who took home the Teen Black International Ambassador title; Khloe Thompson of Ghana, named Miss Black International Ambassador 2026; Maryam Abdul-Quawiyy of Belize, who secured the Ms Black International Ambassador crown; and Kristy Wells, a grandmother from Texas, United States, who won the Mrs Black International Ambassador 2026 title. The newly crowned queens made their first public joint appearance on the morning talk show *Open Your Eyes*, where they opened up about their experiences at the pageant, their core platforms, and the community-focused work they plan to advance over their one-year term.

For Abdul-Quawiyy, stepping onto the international stage carried far more weight than personal competition. The newly crowned Ms ambassador emphasized that she carried the hopes and pride of her entire home country with her during the event. “I know I wasn’t only representing myself; I was representing Belize, I was representing ‘all ah we,’” she shared during the appearance. “So I was like, ‘Belize has to look good,’ so I made sure I did my absolute best.” She added that all four titleholders will work collaboratively throughout the year to expand community leadership programs across regions.

Wells, the 2026 Mrs Black International Ambassador, brought a trailblazing message for women over 40, as the pageant’s married category opens participation to women who are wives and mothers, and Wells makes history as a crowned titleholder who is also a grandmother. “It’s been an amazing experience,” Wells said. “You should never let age keep you from achieving your goals. I am over 40, and I am proud of it. So, I want to represent women over 40 and let them know that the sky is the limit and you can do whatever you want to. Age doesn’t matter.”

The second Belizean titleholder, 14-year-old Ramclam, is redefining what it means to be a pageant queen. A self-described “sportsy” teen who does not fit the mold of a traditional pageant contestant, Ramclam is using her new platform to encourage young Belizean women to step into new opportunities with self-assurance. “One of my dreams as well was showing the young women of Belize that opportunities can go so far, and you have to have confidence, and I am glad I was able to show them that you can have confidence and you can do what you want,” she explained. Beyond her advocacy, Ramclam also plans to grow the small food and frozen beverages business she co-runs with her mother in Lord’s Bank Village.

Completing the 2026 cohort is Thompson, the newly named Miss Black International Ambassador, who brings years of grassroots community leadership experience from her home village in Ghana. Thompson already serves as a Queen Mother in her community, where she works directly with local youth and spearheads development projects, including initiatives to install water pumps and build bathroom facilities for local schools. She noted that the MBIA platform’s focus on lifting up Black women has amplified her ability to create meaningful change. “Being a part of an organisation that is made for you, made for you to succeed and wants to see you succeed helps you grow within your work,” she said.

Over the coming 12 months, the four ambassadors will travel across regions to lead community service projects, promote youth leadership programming, and advance their individual advocacy agendas. The group also confirmed that a planned working trip to Ghana is on the schedule, where they will support local development initiatives alongside Thompson. When asked about the road ahead, Abdul-Quawiyy summed up the cohort’s momentum: “We are hitting the ground, honey.”