Costa Rica withdraws support for Donald Trump’s Miss Universe pageant

NEW YORK, USA – Costa Rica decided to pull out of Donald Trump’s Miss Universe competition following his controversial remarks about Mexican immigrants. 

Earlier, department store Macy’s also cut ties with Trump. This comes on the heels of announcements by Univision and NBC to cut relations with Trump after the voluble billionaire offended many Latinos during his speech announcing his presidential campaign in June.

Costa Rica also joined a number of Latino countries who have pulled their support for Trump’s Miss Universe pageant.

Teletica, the organizer of the Miss Costa Rica competition, said Wednesday that Trump’s remarks were “xenophobic and offensive” and the winner of the nation’s pageant will not go on to Miss Universe.

On Tuesday, Bogota canceled its candidacy to host the Miss Universe show and Mexico withdrew from the contest, which is popular in Latin America. (READ: NBC, Televisa latest to dump Donald Trump over Mexican immigrant comments)

Trump, 69, identifies as a Republican and has supported Republican candidates in the past. But in his speech he did not explicitly say if he was running for the party’s nomination or as an independent.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” Trump said June 16.

He added: “They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” – John Biers, AFP/Rappler.com