Former Miss Universe Lupita Jones has been ousted as the national director of Miss Universe Mexico.

The news came after it was announced last weekend that the 2024 Miss Universe Competition will be held in Mexico. Lupita had attended the Miss Universe 2023 Gala in El Salvador to accompany Mexico's representative 

Since October, there have been rumors that Lupita will be replaced as the national director of Miss Universe.

Lupita, the first Mexican woman to win Miss Universe in 1991, was the national director for 30 years.

Multiple reports said Lupita was not informed of the coming change in Miss Universe Mexico. At the Miss Universe 2023 Gala in El Salvador, Lupita was present to accompany Mexico's representative Melissa Flores.

Replacing Lupita is Cynthia de la Vega, a former Miss Mexico.

Lupita spoke about her departure in a video. “Miss Universe has not confirmed anything to me, although everything indicates what is being said is true," according to a report by remezcla.com on Nov. 21.

The Mexican beauty queen believes that her departure was related to Melissa's failure to make it to the top 20 of the Miss Universe Competition recently.

Following Lupita's announcement, Miss Universe Mexico confirmed Cynthia as the new director in a press conference. Also in attendance were Raúl Rocha Cantú, the franchise owner in Mexico, and Miss Universe owner Anne Jakrajutatip. 

“It fills me with joy to reach this moment in my life. With this new organization, we seek excellence, forming a team of quality and a solid structure. We are going to return to our roots as ‘Miss Universe Mexico,’ propelling girls toward greatness," Cynthia said in a report by remezcla.com.

The report said Cynthia was a previous Nuestra Belleza Mundo México titleholder who was dethroned and replaced in 2011. 

Lupita said Cynthia was dethroned because of a “lack of dedication and discipline.” 

But Cynthia said she was dethroned due to weight issues. “Organizers of the Nuestra Belleza Mexico contest demanded that I lose a few kilos, but they never provided a nutritionist or any other assistance to ensure the weight loss.”

During the term of Lupita, she produced two Miss Universe queens - Ximena Navarette (2010) and Andrea Meza (2020).