The Puebla International Festival has announced the withdrawal of South African guests following the recent drama surrounding Chidimma Adetshina.
The drama began when Chidimma a former contestant in the Miss South Africa competition faced intense backlash from South Africans due to her non-South African parentage.
After an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs into her citizenship verification, which was requested by the pageant organizers. DHA Minister Leon Schreiber revealed that an innocent South African mother's identity was stolen in connection with the alleged fraud involving Chidimma's mother.
The public uproar, which dominated discussions on X (formerly Twitter) led Chidimma to withdraw from the pageant.
Taking to X, the festival posted an official press release stating," We regret to announce the revocation of South Africa's designation as the Country-in-Focus for this year's festival, and the withdrawal of the invitation of our South African guests following the victimization of Chidimma Adetshina, her family, & members of immigrant communities in South Africa, thus undermining the very principles of justice, equality, and human dignity that literature seeks to uphold."
The organisation added, "We cannot, in good conscience, honour a country as a focal point of our celebration when it is embroiled in such profound injustice as has been currently gathering momentum following the Miss South Africa beauty pageantry."
However, the festival's move has sparked a flurry of mixed reactions online. Some users have criticised the decision, questioning whether the festival promotes "lawlessness" over literature.
