A painful onstage blunder went viral during the Miss Grand International pageant in Bangkok when Panama's representative mistakenly came forward after her country was misidentified.
The awkward moment occurred on October 18 as 76 contestants awaited the announcement of 22 finalists. Isamar Herrera, the 31-year-old representing Panama, began walking down the stage when she heard what she thought was her country being called.
Herrera reached the front of the platform and struck a pose for about ten seconds before host Matthew Deane interrupted to correct the error. "I beg your pardon, I announced Miss Grand Paraguay," Deane said, creating an extended awkward silence he attributed to noise in the packed hall.
Herrera was forced to retreat as Paraguay's representative Cecilia Romero took her rightful place. The Panama contestant ultimately failed to make the final cut.
Viewers expressed sympathy for both women online, with some suggesting language barriers or similar-sounding country names might have caused the confusion. "Panama, Canada, Paraguay, sound the same, don't condemn her," one comment read.
The 22 final spots went to representatives from Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Martinique, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela and Zambia.
Emma Tiglao of the Philippines ultimately won the crown, marking the second consecutive year the Southeast Asian country claimed the title.
