Paraguay’s representative has spoken out to explain her controversial gesture during the Miss World 2026 final.
On the evening of September 5, the Miss World 2026 final officially took place, with the crown going to the representative of the Dominican Republic. Vietnam’s representative, Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc, finished in the Top 6, achieving Vietnam’s highest-ever placement at the Miss World competition.
After the final, a brief moment captured by the cameras quickly attracted attention on social media. The contestant in question was Paraguay’s Ayelén Pérez. When the final results were announced, instead of standing up and joining the celebrations, she was seen remaining seated in her place. More notably, she appeared to give a thumbs-down gesture. The moment immediately sparked discussion online, as a thumbs-down is commonly understood as a symbol of disagreement, disapproval, or rejection.
Based on the brief footage, many people assumed that the Paraguayan representative was expressing dissatisfaction with the final result. Others criticized her behavior as inappropriate and lacking composure on the stage of a beauty pageant.
However, Ayelén Pérez soon spoke out to explain that her gesture had been misunderstood. She emphasized that it had nothing to do with the Dominican Republic representative’s victory.
She wrote: “Everyone is misunderstanding. I did that because of unfair things from the organizers. It happened before the crowning. Everyone keeps talking about it, but you don’t know everything that happened there.”
Regarding Joheirry Mola Dominguez’s victory, the Paraguayan contestant commented: “The Dominican Republic’s victory was completely deserved! She is a special person with a kind heart. I made that gesture because of something else!”
The brief moment on stage has therefore continued to be a topic of discussion following the Miss World 2026 final. Meanwhile, the Paraguayan representative’s comments have made it somewhat clearer that there was another story behind the controversial gesture—one that she believes the audience does not yet know in full. According to Pérez’s explanation, her gesture stemmed from what she considered unfair treatment by the organizers rather than an attempt to protest the final result. At the same time, she made it clear that she believed the Dominican Republic representative’s victory was fully deserved.
Ayelén Pérez represented Paraguay at Miss World 2026 and attracted attention with a distinctive profile spanning several fields. She is a professional violinist, music educator, and entrepreneur. Pérez graduated from the Instituto de Bellas Artes and holds a certificate in the Suzuki Method, a music education approach that she applies in her teaching. With her artistic background, the Paraguayan beauty has pursued not only a career as a performer but also dedicated significant effort to music education.
Notably, Ayelén currently runs the “Music for Hope” project, which aims to support disadvantaged teenagers and young people. Through music, the project provides them with opportunities to develop themselves and find additional motivation in life. With her diverse professional journey, Ayelén Pérez brought a distinctive image to Miss World 2026. Beyond representing Paraguay, she has also stood out for a story closely connected to music, education, and community activities.
The newly crowned Miss World graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) and has worked in various fields, including modeling, teaching, and journalism. In addition to her diverse career journey, the new Miss World is also passionate about community work. She is the founder of Voices of Tomorrow, a project that helps children and teenagers in disadvantaged communities gain access to English education while providing opportunities for them to develop their skills and personal potential.
Sources: k14