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Beauty pageants may be held to celebrate beauty, but things got really ugly during the crowning at the Miss Amazonas 2015 beauty pageant based in Manaus, Brazil. The winner of the pageant was 20-year old law student, Carolina Toledo. As the name was announced and the crown placed on her head, runner-up Sheislane Hayalla took matters – or rather the tiara – into her own hands. She ripped the crown off of Toledo’s head, threw it to the ground, pointed an accusatory finger at Toledo while hurling a couple insults, and then stormed off stage! Seems like a scene straight from a movie, doesn’t it? The organizers quickly put the crown back on Toledo’s head, and are currently trying to figure out what action to take against Hayalla. Usually, the runner-up would be expected to take part in various events around the state, but is unclear if Hayalla will get that privilege now. Hayalla, a biology student, has won beauty pageants in 2013 and 2014. The winner of the Miss Amazonas pageant, Toledo, will go on to represent her state in the national Miss Brazil beauty contest.
Hayalla insists that Toledo had bought her way to the title, claiming,
Money talks in Manaus and I wanted to show the Amazon people money doesn’t talk here. She didn’t deserve the title.”
At the very least, an independent organizer should look into the matter to either verify or disclaim all accusations. Meanwhile, the winner, Toleda, has declined to comment on the whole incident, and has said only the following:
“This is an unbelievable feeling. I don’t have words to explain the way I feel.”
This is not the first beauty pageant in Brazil that has been tarnished with accusations of rigging votes and letting money talk. A couple years ago, in the annual Miss Bumbum (yes that is the real name) contest in Brazil came under fire when two of the candidates – Mari Sousa and Eliana Amaral – were accused of paying thousands of pounds to the event’s judging panel for the right to come first and second. The Miss Bumbum contest is held to find the sexiest butt in Brazil. Ultimately, Dia Macedo won the pageant, while Eliana Amaral came in second place.
Looks like pageants really need to be monitored more closely. Perhaps a central financial board can be set in place that monitors all transactions between contestants, organizers, and judges.
