The conflict came to light after Prince disclosed a voice note attributed to the Cuban singer, who asked him to resolve his incorporation into the evaluation panel of the gala scheduled for this Thursday, August 20 at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, in Cutler Bay.
“I’m going to be calm and I trust in God and in you, that on Thursday you are going to seat me on that jury. I already know that they don’t want me to be there,” the interpreter is heard saying.
Eduardo Antonio assured that he would wait until the day of the coronation to know the final decision, but issued a warning about the possibility of being left out.
“For you, I’m going to wait until Thursday to sit there. But if something happens, I’m going against everyone, because I’m not going to allow anyone to tell me where I can be and where I can’t be,” he said.
During the message, he also appealed to his career and the support that, he said, he offered Prince from the beginning of their relationship.
“I am a star and you have to respect me. I have given you my love, my affection from the first time, when no one trusted you,” he said.
The interpreter recalled that he remained by his side when other people accused him of being a communist and spread offensive comments of sexual content in which they related him to payments attributed to the governments of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. Such references were mentioned by the Divo within the recording and were not accompanied by evidence.
Likewise, he insisted that he expected a solution before the gala and warned that he would not accept feeling used or being a victim of what he described as a possible “play.”
The controversy coincides with the incorporation of Alexander Otaola to the jury of Miss Universe Cuba 2026. The presenter confirmed on his program Hola! Ota-Ola who will participate in the election and showed the official invitation received before the cameras.
His presence adds a sensitive element to the episode due to the prolonged public confrontation he maintains with Eduardo Antonio. Both have long exchanged criticism, ridicule and disqualifications in their digital spaces.
Among the most recent clashes are comments by Otaola about the artist’s career, performances and physical appearance. The Divo de Placetas has responded with equally harsh messages, in which he accuses him of belittling Cuban exponents and constantly mentioning him.
Although the invitation sent to the driver and Eduardo Antonio’s claim place the old rivalry as a backdrop, so far neither party has confirmed that the selection of one has determined the exclusion of the other.
Eduardo Antonio had already occupied a position on the panel during the 2024 edition, when Marianela Ancheta won the crown that marked Cuba’s return to Miss Universe after 57 years of absence.
The release of the audio was accompanied by an extensive statement from Prince, who announced that it would be his only statement on the matter. In the document he categorically denied that any fraud was going to occur and maintained that both spoke only about the singer’s eventual incorporation into the group in charge of evaluating the contestants.
“It was a conversation about a possibility, not a confirmation,” he said. According to his version, he explained that he had to wait while the production finished selecting those who would assume that responsibility.
The head of the franchise clarified that he never requested the artist’s professional services to sing, perform or perform during the show. He assured that they did not negotiate fees or a contract either and that the exchange was limited to his possible presence as an evaluator.
After that conversation, she added, she began to receive numerous calls and messages from the interpreter and her husband. The frequency, insistence and content of these contacts, he stated, made him feel “pressured, intimidated and harassed.”
Prince said he retains phone records and other communications related to the episode. The voice note released is part, as he explained, of the evidence that he decided to share so that each person could draw their own conclusions.
“Until now I have chosen prudence. But prudence does not mean fear and silence does not mean weakness,” he warned.
The controversy increased due to allegations of alleged fraud that the organizer attributed to Eduardo Antonio. According to him, the publications where these questions appeared were later deleted.
The manager rejected any attempt at manipulation and called on the singer to demonstrate what procedure would be altered, what rule would be violated and what elements would support his statements.
“An accusation of that seriousness requires evidence,” he emphasized.
In Prince’s opinion, deleting the messages is not equivalent to correcting what was expressed. For this reason, he demanded a rectification and a public apology addressed to Miss Universe Cuba, her team and those who may have been affected.
“No one has an automatic right to an invitation or a place on the jury because they are a public figure, have followers, contacts or media exposure,” he said.
He also stressed that the decisions correspond to the management of the competition and must respond to the integrity of the process, as well as the well-being of the applicants. He assured that he will not allow the platform to become the scene of personal conflicts, pressures, egos or media wars.
In addition, he defended the mission of a project created, as he noted, to promote talent, discipline, preparation and the pride of representing Cuba and reported that he preserves the documentation related to the events and reserved the possibility of resorting to the corresponding channels if he considers it necessary to protect his name or the reputation of the institution.
“I don’t need scandals. I need facts. To accusations: evidence. To pressure: limits. To intimidation: firmness. And to unsubstantiated accusations: rectification,” he concluded in the extensive statement.
The clash comes at one of the decisive moments of the calendar. The preliminary competition will be held this Tuesday, August 18, and the final gala will take place on Thursday, when the representative of Cuba will be crowned in the next international edition of Miss Universe to be held in November in Puerto Rico.
Until now, the organization has not reported whether Eduardo Antonio will finally join the panel. There is also no known subsequent reaction from the artist to Prince’s statement or to the publication of his private message.
DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS will be reporting on the outcome of the conflict.
