Sex scandal halts Miss Venezuela pageant

THE Miss Venezuela beauty pageant has been suspended and an investigation launched after its contestants accused each other of receiving money in exchange for sexual favours.

A formal investigation was begun by organisers following a social media spat that saw former participants accusing each other of inappropriate behaviour. In a flurry of posts this month, a group of former beauty queens insinuated that other contestants had sought to enrich themselves through romantic relationships with corrupt businessmen and officials.

“Given the events recently described on social media… a decision has been made to begin an internal review to determine if anyone linked [to the pageant], during the course of their involvement, violated the values and ethics of the contest,” the Miss Venezuela Organisation said in a statement.

Venezuelans are among the world’s most successful beauty show contestants and have won global pageants including Miss Universe and Miss World more than a dozen times.

The organisers said they were temporarily closing a Caracas training facility and halting casting. It was not immediately evident how this would affect the pageant, which is typically held towards the end of the year.