Honestly, the world of pageantry is usually just hairspray and rehearsed answers about world peace. But Miss Universe Argentina 2024 was different. It wasn’t just a contest; it was a total cultural explosion that had everyone from Buenos Aires to New York talking about ageism, plastic surgery, and eventually, a full-blown scandal that ended in a stripped title.
You’ve probably seen the headlines. The 60-year-old lawyer who looked like she’d found the fountain of youth. The "dream" that supposedly came to an end. But if you think the story stops at a viral photo of a stunning grandmother, you’re missing the wildest parts of what actually went down.
The 60-Year-Old Who Broke the Internet
Before we even got to the national stage, the buzz was all about Alejandra Rodríguez. She’s a lawyer and a journalist from La Plata, and at 60, she won Miss Universe Buenos Aires. It was a massive deal because the Miss Universe Organization had just scrapped its age limits. Suddenly, the "28-and-under" rule was dead.
People went nuts. She became a symbol of "age is just a number." But here’s the thing: while the internet was cheering her on, a 72-year-old named Iris Amelia Alioto was also in the mix during the preliminaries. Iris is a dance teacher and an actress who proved that the 60s were just the beginning.
When the national final for Miss Universe Argentina 2024 rolled around on May 25th at the Auditorio de Belgrano, everyone expected Alejandra to take it all. She didn't. She walked away with "Best Face," which—let’s be real—is a pretty great consolation prize when you’re competing against women half your age. But the crown went to someone else.
Why Magalí Benejam Won (And Then Lost Everything)
The woman who actually walked away with the sash was Magalí Benejam. She’s a 30-year-old model and actress from Córdoba. At 5'10" with a presence that just demands attention, she was a powerhouse.
Winning at 30 was already a statement. A year prior, she wouldn't have even been allowed to fill out the application. She represented a new era of "mature" winners—if you can even call 30 mature.
Magalí didn’t just show up to the international stage in Mexico City to look pretty. She fought. She made it into the Top 12, which is a huge achievement for Argentina. The last time they did that well was ages ago. But then, things got messy. Kinda really messy.
The Interview That Changed Everything
Fast forward to early 2025. Magalí sat down for an interview with a content creator named King Lucho. You’d think she’d be celebrating her Top 12 finish, right? Nope. She went rogue.
She basically alleged that the whole 2024 Miss Universe pageant was rigged. She claimed the winner, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark, had three layers of security in the final days as if the result was already decided. She even said the judges looked "upset" and "stared at each other" when the Top 5 were announced, implying they hadn't even picked those women.
She didn't stop there. She took shots at Celinee Santos (Miss Dominican Republic), saying she was rude and interrupted people during filming. She even criticized the gown worn by Puerto Rico’s Jennifer Colón.
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The fallout was instant.
On January 2, 2025, the Miss Universe Organization dropped a hammer. They stripped Magalí Benejam of her title. Gone. They said her comments violated their core principles of "inclusion and respect." It’s rare to see a title taken away months after the international competition, but the organization wanted to make an example of her.
What This Means for Future Pageants
So, what did we actually learn from the Miss Universe Argentina 2024 saga?
First off, the "age revolution" is real, but it’s complicated. Feminist activists like Lala Pasquinelli argued that women like Alejandra Rodríguez actually set unrealistic standards. If a 60-year-old has to look 25 to be "inspiring," are we actually moving the needle on ageism? Or are we just moving the goalposts for how much work women have to do to stay relevant?
Secondly, the "rules" of being a beauty queen are changing. You can be a mother, you can be married, and you can be 70. But you still can't talk smack about the brand that gave you the crown.
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Actionable Takeaways from the 2024 Season
If you're following the pageant world or looking to enter yourself, here’s the reality of the post-2024 landscape:
- Age is open, but the look is still elite. Don't expect the standards of "beauty" to drop just because the age limit did. The competition is actually getting harder because the talent pool just got four decades deeper.
- Media training is more vital than the walk. Magalí’s loss of her title proves that what you say on a random YouTube live stream is just as important as how you behave on the main stage.
- Watch the "Voice for Change." If you're looking for the next big thing in pageantry, look at the social impact scores. The 2024 cycle put a massive emphasis on contestants who actually do something in their communities, not just those who look good in a bikini.
The 2024 Miss Universe Argentina race wasn't just a beauty contest. It was a messy, fascinating, and ground-breaking drama that proved pageantry is still very much alive—and very much a minefield.
Keep an eye on the official Miss Universe Argentina social channels for the 2025 delegate selection, as the organization is now under intense pressure to find a representative who can balance being outspoken with being "on brand."