In the Way of Paraguay: Miss Panama's viral blunder

A total of 76 beauty queens competed at the Miss Grand International 2025 competition held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 18 October 2025. Among them was Miss Panama Isamar Herrera, who stood proudly on stage, waiting to hear her country called as one of the Top 22 finalists to advance to the next round.

The hall was packed with fans from around the world, all cheering for their favorite contestants. In the now-viral video, Herrera was seen covering her face in surprise as she walked to the front of the stage for her supposed moment in the spotlight. She struck a pose for several seconds, smiling at the crowd, as fans and fellow contestants looked on in confusion.

Host Matthew Dane then stepped in to correct the mistake.
“Ah, I beg your pardon, I announced Miss Grand Paraguay,” he said.

In a hall filled with so much noise, it’s easy to understand how Herrera might have misheard the announcement. She quickly returned to her original position as Miss Grand Paraguay Cecilia Romero made her way to the front. Some of the other beauty queens clapped in support, hoping to ease the awkwardness of the moment.

After the mix-up, ten more contestants were called to complete the Top 22 lineup, but Herrera did not make the cut.

The incident, captured on video, quickly spread on social media. Netizens expressed sympathy for Herrera, encouraging her to move past the mishap and continue her pageant journey. Others defended her, pointing out that the mistake was an understandable misunderstanding amid the loud environment.

“Panama, Canada, Paraguay—sound the same, don’t condemn her,” one user commented.
“Maybe she didn’t really understand because of the language barrier,” another wrote.
“You were a good candidate, impeccable every time you came out, and you deserved the classification. I’m sure better things will happen in your life,” another message read.

The Top 22 finalists represented the Philippines, Ghana, Japan, the United Kingdom, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic, Martinique, Indonesia, France, Zambia, Paraguay, Laos, Brazil, Tanzania, Thailand, Mexico, Venezuela, Belgium, Spain, the United States, and Ecuador.

Miss Grand International Philippines Emma Tiglao was later crowned the winner after the multi-week competition.