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Last month, Karen Celebertti oversaw the Central American
nation's first victory in the pageant, when Nicaraguan Sheynnis
Palacios was crowned Miss Universe in El Salvador.
Palacios' coronation caused a political stir after videos were
leaked of the beauty queen participating in anti-government
marches in 2018 when she was 17, prompting the government to
accuse the opposition of using her victory to plan new protests.
The government has banned protests, with a violent crackdown on
anti-government demonstrations in 2018 leaving more than 320
dead, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights.
Celebertti was banned from entering Nicaragua over accusations
of conspiracy, with authorities saying she, her husband and her
son played a role in organizing the anti-government protests.
Her current wherabouts could not be immediately established.
"The time has come for me to retire," Celebertti said on Monday
evening in an Instagram post, ending a 23-year stint as the
country's beauty contest head.
The businesswoman did not explain the reasons for her retirement
but defended her family.
"My husband and I come from hardworking, honest families... we
have raised our children to be good, educated and responsible
human beings."
She also defended the beauty queen's victory, saying that "a
crown should be respected as an achievement of all."
Palacios has not returned to Nicaragua since her victory.
Nicaraguan police said earlier this month that the national Miss
Universe organization had been used to "turn pageants into
political traps and political ambushes, financed by foreign
agents."
The Miss Universe organization said in a statement posted to
social media that it was seeking "a peaceful resolution of the
issues raised by the country of Nicaragua, as well as the safety
of everyone associated with the organization."
(Reporting by Ismael Lopez, Writing by Isabel Woodford; Editing
by Rosalba O'Brien and Stephen Coates)
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