AFP
June 30, 2015
Anger
over US presidential candidate Donald Trump's remarks about Mexican
migrants boiled over Tuesday as Bogota withdrew its candidacy to host
his Miss Universe show
and Mexico dropped out of the pageant.
The
real estate tycoon's comments have incensed Latin Americans and the
Hispanic community in the United States since he said on June 16 that
migrants were bringing drugs
and "rapists" across the border.
Losing
both a Latin American contestant and city are big setbacks for Miss
Universe as the pageant is hugely popular in the region, where victory
is a source of national
pride that can spark street celebrations.
"Bogota
declines its aspiration to be the host city of the next competition,"
the capital's Tourism District Institute said in a statement.
"The
decision was taken after the disrespectful remarks against the Latino
and Mexican community of the United States by Donald Trump," it said,
three months after entering
the race to host the show.
Bogota's
decision came hours after Miss Mexico organizers announced that they
would not send a contestant to Miss Universe, which is co-owned by Trump
and US entertainment
giant NBCUniversal.
"It's
a shame that because of his racist comments we lose what the contest
has promoted and represented during so many years, which is an
atmosphere of harmony and peace
among nations," former Miss Universe and Nuestra Belleza Mexico pageant
director Lupita Jones wrote on Twitter.
On
Tuesday, she told Radio Imaginen: "Beyond a beauty contest, a crown,
what's important is to protest in some way to defend the pride and name
of all Mexicans."
Miss
Mexico Wendolly Esparza -- a brunette who studied journalism in the
United States -- said that when she felt that going to Miss Universe
would "affect my values and
the values of Mexicans, the best decision was not to participate."
"The biggest crown for Mexico is its dignity," she told Radio Formula.
Colombian
pop star Shakira joined the chorus, writing on Twitter that Trump's
comments were a "hateful and racist" attempt to divide Americans.
US
broadcaster NBC and Mexican television giant Televisa both announced on
Monday that they were severing ties with Trump, meaning they will not
air the show.
Trump
hit back at Spanish-language US channel Univision on Tuesday, filing a
$500 million lawsuit over the company's decision not to broadcast the
July 12 Miss USA pageant.
Despite
the growing criticism, Trump has not stopped talking about Mexico,
writing on Twitter on Tuesday: "I love the Mexican people, but Mexico is
not our friend. They're
killing us at the border and they're killing us on jobs and trade."
The
Mexican government has denounced Trump's remarks as "prejudiced and
absurd," while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called the real
estate mogul a "thief."
Venezuela's
Cisneros Media, the company that organizes the national pageant and
airs Miss Universe on Venevision, said it was "evaluating the situation"
following Trump's
comments.
Miss Universe is particularly popular in Venezuela, as the country is second to the United States in contest winners with seven.
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