It was supposed to be a crowning moment. Instead, it turned into one of those rare, perfectly human slips that live forever online.
At the Miss Grand International pageant in Bangkok, Panama’s representative, Isamar Herrera, heard her name—or thought she did. The 31-year-old beauty queen broke into celebration, pumping her fists and striding toward the finalists with all the poise and certainty of victory. The crowd roared, the lights hit just right—and then came the silence.
Moments later, the host, clearly caught in the crossfire of confusion and noise, corrected himself. The name he’d actually called was Cecilia Romero, representing Paraguay. “Ah, I beg your pardon,” he said, voice flattening under the weight of live television. “I announced Miss Grand Paraguay.”
Herrera froze, her smile faltering. Then, with a composure that only years of pageantry could teach, she turned, walked back to her place, and let the cameras follow her retreat.
The host tried to smooth it over, blaming the chaos of a hall packed with international fans. But the damage was done—the moment already clipped, captioned, and circulating across social media before the show even wrapped.
Support came quickly. Fans flooded Herrera’s Instagram—21,000 strong and counting—with sympathy and encouragement. “You were impeccable every time you came out,” one follower from Paraguay wrote. “You deserved the classification.” Others were less sentimental, calling the mistake “humiliating,” though even they couldn’t help but admire her grace under pressure.
Herrera herself kept her cool, telling reporters, “These things happen. It was a mistake. This is a competition—you have to know how to lose and recognize the triumph of others.”
In the end, Emma Tiglao of the Philippines took home the Miss Grand International 2025 crown. But for a brief, awkward, unforgettable moment—it was Panama who owned the stage.
Last modified: October 23, 2025
