Cuban-Venezuelan pageant expert Osmel Sousa announced his departure from the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), although he clarified that it has nothing to do with the rising tension between its executives.
Sousa, who served as the MUO’s international adviser, confirmed that he will leave his post in a heartfelt letter on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Nov. 5, saying it wasn’t an easy decision to make.
‘I want to clarify and share with all of you that, since three weeks ago, after having fulfilled my mission in the Miss Universe pageant, I made the decision to resign from the position of adviser to the organization. This was not a decision taken lightly, but a step I felt necessary after reflecting on what I had achieved and what I want for the future,’ he said in Spanish.
‘While it is true that I decided to step aside, it is also true that now, more than ever, there is Osmel for a while,’ he continued.
Despite resigning from the MUO, Sousa said his ‘love and commitment’ to the global tilt will always ‘remain intact.’ However, it was being away from his home in Venezuela that made him reflect on what he wanted to do in life.
‘At this point in my life, I felt like I should have been surrounded by loved ones who have always been with me, supported and understood me, both in the good times and the difficult times. That’s why I made the decision to return to my homeland, that place that has always given me strength to move forward,’ he said.
Sousa further clarified that departing from his post is meant to be a ‘closure’ and that he doesn’t harbor negative feelings for MUO president Raul Rocha.
‘My departure from the organization is not marked by any kind of conflict, it was simply the closure of a cycle I had already fulfilled. I thank Mr. Raúl Rocha and Mrs. Paulina for their understanding and the opportunity provided, and I wish them all the best in future projects,’ he said.
A familiar name among fans, Sousa is considered one of the biggest pageant powerhouses, having served as the Miss Venezuela Organization from 1981 to 2018. He was also a judge and mentor of the talent contest Nuestra Belleza Latina from 2007 until 2016.
Sousa, who earned the nickname ‘El Zar de la Belleza,’ or The Czar of Beauty, in the Latina pageant scene, was one of the forces behind Venezuela winning seven Miss Universe crowns, six Miss World titles, and eight Miss International wins.
Some of the recent titleholders helmed under his tutelage include Miss Universe winners Gabriela Isler (2013), Stefania Fernandez (2009), Dayana Mendoza (2008) and Alicia Machado (1996); Miss World winners Ivian Sarcos (2011) and Jacqueline Aguilera (1995); and Miss International winners Mariem Velazco (2018), Edymar Martinez (2015) and Elizabeth Mosquera (2010).