Donald Trump Calls Miss Universe Paulina Vega 'Hypocrite' for Keeping Crown After Criticizing Presidential Candidate
Republican presidential candidate and business magnate Donald Trump has fired back at reigning Miss Universe Paulina Vega after he was criticized by the beauty queen.
On July 5, Trump called Vega a hypocrite for keeping the prestigious crown after condemning the businessman for his inflammatory comments against Mexican immigrants.
"Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, criticized me for telling the truth about illegal immigration, but then said she would keep the crown-Hypocrite," Trump tweeted.
A few days ago, the Colombian beauty called out Trump's remarks through a lengthy post on her Instagram page, calling his statements "unjust" and "hurtful." Trump owns the Miss Universe Organization.
"If the Miss Universe Organization shared any anti-Latin sentiments or any type of racial biases, I wouldn't be in this position today," Vega wrote on Instagram. "I strongly believe that dividing and categorizing humankind only holds it back. Acknowledging and embracing the differences that exist across humanity is the first step in real and substantial development. We must strive together in order to improve the common good."
Vega, 22, joins numerous Hispanic celebrities and organizations firing back at the presidential candidate. The backlash around Trump's remarks grows stronger every day, which now includes the city government of Bogota pulling out its support for a bid to host the Miss Universe pageant in the future, Fox News Latino reported. Panama, along with Mexico and Costa Rica, is also withdrawing from the beauty pageant.
As per Yahoo! TV, the Miss Panama Organization and the Telemetro television channel announced that they won't be participating in the event, calling the protest as "a message of solidarity" for the Mexicans affected by Trump's offensive comments. In his speech announcing his candidacy, Trump referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists, drug dealers, and criminals.
Panama hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 1986 and 2003, Yahoo! TV wrote.
Meanwhile, Televisora de Costa Rica (Teletica) said that they will only reconsider their decision if Trump "retracts his comments immediately and apologizes for his inadmissible statements, or if he separates himself completely from the organization of the pageant," a separate report from Fox News Latino wrote.
Days after Univision and NBCUniversal have both refused to air the Miss USA pageant on July 12, Reelz has stepped in to fulfill the duties left behind by the two TV networks. Stan Hubbard, CEO of Reelz, said that airing the pageant "should not be construed as anything political," CNN reported.
Hubbard, however, clarified that he agrees with Univision and NBC's stance against Trump, CNN wrote.
Other networks which have severed ties with Trump are Mexico's largest TV network Grupo Televisa and Ora TV, which is owned by the nation's richest man, Carlos Slim, The Guardian reported. Macy's department store is also pulling out Trump's menswear collection from its merchandise.