Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez says that the Miss Universe pageant was rigged to crown her before switching the crown to another contestant in order to generate higher ratings.
Gutierrez was announced as the winner by host Steve Harvey before he rushed forward to say he'd made a mistake in reading the card, and Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach had actually won.
Speculation was rampant and included the theory that the pageant organizers had ordered the gaffe to happen to boost ratings.
Gutierrez suggested that she believes the theory might be true.
“If that was the goal, they succeeded,” she said during an interview with Colombia’s W radio.
Steve Harvey holds up the card showing the winners after he incorrectly announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner at the Miss Universe pageant on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in Las Vegas. Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was named Miss Universe. AP Photo/John Locher
