What are the accusations against Karen Celebertti? Director of Miss Nicaragua franchise announces retirement

On Monday, December 11, Karen Celebertti the director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant declared her retirement from the organization. Celebertti's stepping down came after both her husband and son were detained following a "conspiracy" accusation against the family by the Nicaraguan government. The government accused her of knowingly rigging the entire competition for anti-government contestants.

This was allegedly part of a plot to topple the government, according to the government. The claim was made following Sheynnis Palacios, the most recent Miss Universe winner,'s victory on November 18. Her win brought enormous joy to the Nicaraguan people, but the administration took offense because an old Facebook post revealed that she had participated in an anti-government demonstration in 2018.

Karen Celebertti released a statement on Monday confirming her retirement from her position at the Miss Nicaragua pageant. The former director stated that she had worked extremely hard with "zeal and effort" for 23 years in the business. She said that the country's Miss Universe achievement was for "everyone" without any kind of "political distinction". AP quoted Celebertti as saying:

"The time has come for my retirement."

She added:

"I know that there will always be more opportunities for us."

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Karen Celebertti and her family were accused of "treason to the motherland"

When Karen Celebertti's Miss Nicaragua pageant winner, Sheynnis Palacios captured the Miss Universe title on November 18, Nicaragua was filled with celebrations. AP reported that the streets of the country were filled with celebrating citizens. Even the government saw it as a victory, calling it a significant achievement of "legitimate joy and pride".

However, Palacios did not remain in the good books of the Nicaraguan government for too long. An old Facebook post showcasing the striking Miss Universe participating in the 2018 anti-government protest immediately received immense backlash from the Nicaraguan government. The since-deleted post was captioned, "I didn’t know whether to go, I was afraid of what might happen."

According to AP, the government violently suppressed the 2018 protests, which resulted in an estimated 355 deaths from fights between protesters and government officials. President Daniel Ortega claimed that the protests were part of a foreign-backed coup that aimed to overthrow him.

A National Police statement declared that Karen Celebertti had actively participated in the "terrorist actions of a failed coup" on the streets and the internet. Karen Celebertti, along with her husband and son faced a "treason to the motherland" charge. According to AP, the statement further alleged that Karen:

"remained in contact with the traitors, and offered to employ the franchises, platforms and spaces supposedly used to promote ‘innocent’ beauty pageants, in a conspiracy orchestrated to convert the contests into traps and political ambushes financed by foreign agents."

Karen Celebertti along with her daughter, Luciana, were barred from entering the country following their attendance at Palacios' coronation but allegedly slipped through security. AP revealed that Celebertti's husband, Martín Argüello, and son, Bernardo were arrested and detained in a raid of their home, conducted nine days ago. They were arrested for organized crime, treason, and conspiracy charges.

AP also reported that the situation worsened when Nicaraguans, who were not allowed to protest or use national flags in marches, took to the streets to celebrate by waving the blue-and-white National flag instead of the red-and-black of the Sandinista government. The government feared another protest in December as a "repeat of history’s worst chapter of vileness".