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.
