The UIF freezes accounts of the owner of Miss Universe for drug trafficking

Mexican justice freezes the magnate's assets after an investigation into organized crime, shaking the foundations of the famous pageant.

Imagine this: you are at the top, owner of one of the most famous beauty pageants on the planet, where everything is crown, glitter and smiles on the cover. And suddenly, the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) of Mexico appears like that friend who arrives at the party to collect the money he lent him from you. This is how the Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú is living his moment, whose reign in Miss Universe has just received a bath of reality (and ice) with the freezing of all his bank accounts in the country. The reason? A juicy investigation by the Attorney General’s Office that links him to a trio of unglamorous activities: drug trafficking, arms trafficking and fuel theft (the famous ‘huachicol’, for the guys). Because, apparently, it is not enough to organize competitions; Some want to diversify their portfolio towards, let’s say, less photogenic businesses.

From the crown to the penal code: the details that do not appear on television

It turns out that this financial blockade is not a whim. The UIF, that organization that is dedicated to hunting down money laundering as if it were a video game, acted after an investigation open since November of last year. A federal judge had already issued arrest warrants against several people involved, including our protagonist. But here there is a soap opera twist: according to the newspaper Reforma, Rocha Cantú would have asked to be a collaborating witness. Basically, the classic “I’ll help you if you help me.” The Prosecutor’s Office, in spoiler mode, has not confirmed anything, leaving us all in suspense.

RelatedThe UIF freezes accounts of the owner of Miss Universe for drug trafficking

And as if the alleged organized crime were not enough, Rocha Cantú’s dark resume includes a tragic episode: the attack on the Casino Royale in Monterrey in 2011, where 52 people died. He was a partner in the companies that operated the place. The intellectual author of that massacre, Baltazar Saucedo Estrada, was sentenced to 135 years in prison. A past that definitely does not fit on the LinkedIn profile of a beauty mogul.

Miss Universe: when the scandal is more viral than the winner

It seems that bad luck (or bad decisions) are contagious at the top of this contest. While in Mexico they freeze accounts, in Thailand they issued an arrest warrant against the co-owner, Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, for accusations of financial fraud. Her company, JKN Global Group, which bought the rights to Miss Universe in 2022, sold exactly half to Rocha Cantú’s company. A circle of ownership as tangled as the threads of a crown.

To top off the year, the 2025 edition of the contest was a live reality drama: Mexican winner Fatima Bosch received a public reprimand, two judges left the show suggesting manipulation, and Thai police investigated whether there was illegal promotion of online casinos during the event. In other words, from the blue carpet to the police investigation in a flash.

In short, what we have here is a perfect cocktail of glamour, opaque finances and judicial processes. A reminder that, sometimes, behind the shine of the spotlights and perfect smiles, there can be much less luminous operations. The Mexican UIF put a stop to Rocha Cantú’s financial party, demonstrating that, in the fight against money laundering, not even the owners of beauty queens are safe.

Were you surprised by this news that mixes show business with justice? Share this article on your social networks so that more people know the B side of beauty pageants. And be sure to explore our news section for more stories where reality is stranger than fiction.

National Guard: 125 thousand elements and decrease in homicides

Sheinbaum led the National Guard's seventh anniversary with deployment numbers and results.

In Huehuetoca, State of Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum led the ceremony for the seventh anniversary of the National Guard, created in 2019.

Sheinbaum reported that the corporation has 125 thousand elements deployed in 53 coordinations and 590 barracks built by the Army. He highlighted that intentional homicide decreased 46% since October 2024, as part of the National Security Strategy.

Operating figures

Commander Guillermo Briseño Lobera explained that in the current six-year term, 45 thousand people have been arrested for crimes, 23 thousand firearms have been seized, more than 213 tons of drugs have been seized and two thousand clandestine laboratories have been dismantled.

He announced that Sedena is promoting a plan to reach 170,000 troops and 886 facilities by the end of the six-year term.

The president presented decorations to the personnel outstanding in security, training and confiscations, with special recognition to the elements of the Teotihuacan archaeological zone for their performance last April.

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Mother of ABC Daycare victim demands justice from FGR

Victim's mother denies that the case is closed and demands that FGR resume investigations.

Juanita Luna, mother of one of the victims of the ABC Daycare, responded to the statements of President Claudia Sheinbaum. He clarified that the judicial file has never been closed and demanded that the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) continue the investigations.

The recent resolution of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) did not order reopening the case, Luna said. What it ruled is that crimes committed against minors are imprescriptible. Therefore, those responsible for manslaughter still need to be prosecuted.

Gabriel Alvarado Serrano, legal representative of the Manos Unidas por Nuestros Niño collective, explained that this judicial criterion strengthens the demand for justice. It marks a historical precedent for Mexican children, he noted.

Now it is up to the FGR to accelerate the current investigation files, the lawyer warned. If new evidence emerges, other public servants who were not originally included may be called to account regardless of the time that has passed.

During her morning conference, President Sheinbaum stated that the Prosecutor’s Office must reach the ultimate consequences in this case. He promised to deliver all the information required by the IMSS.

Sheinbaum also pointed out that the surrogate daycare model implemented during Felipe Calderón’s six-year term was marked by corruption, nepotism and serious security deficiencies. These failures led to the tragedy that claimed the lives of 49 minors in 2009.

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They seek to hire substitute teachers during strikes in Oaxaca

Morena's initiative seeks to guarantee educational continuity during teacher strikes in Oaxaca.

Morenoist proposal in response to teacher strikes

The local representative of Morena, María Eulalia Velasco Ramírez, presented an initiative to reform the Oaxaca Education Law. Their objective: to force the state government to hire substitute teachers during teacher strikes.

The legislator seeks to provide continuity to the educational service. To this end, it proposes immediate response mechanisms in the event of any suspension of teaching activities. The proposal now remains in the hands of the local Congress.

The reality of the protests in the state

Every year, Section 22 of the SNTE carries out staggered strikes as part of its union pressure strategy. In 2024, the protests lasted a month and mainly affected basic education schools. It is not the only union: there are also recurring strikes at the “Benito Juárez” Autonomous University of Oaxaca (UABJO) and other high school campuses.

Velasco Ramírez —mother of the Secretary of Tourism, Saymi Pineda— maintains that her initiative protects the right to education under the principle of the best interests of children. According to the representative, the most vulnerable students are the ones who suffer the most from suspensions.

Measures that the IEEPO would authorize

The reform empowers the State Institute of Public Education of Oaxaca (IEEPO) to take administrative, academic and extraordinary measures when the service is interrupted due to the unjustified absence of teaching staff. Among the permitted actions are: immediately designate substitute staff, enable alternative in-person care locations in nearby facilities, or implement academic strategies to avoid the loss of the school year.

The initiative emphasizes social justice for rural, indigenous communities or areas without internet access. In these cases, the educational authority must always prioritize the in-person modality to guarantee learning.

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