RODRIGO VARELA/GETTY IMAGES FOR PEOPLE EN ESPANThe organization that picks Miss Mexico may pull out of the Miss Universe pageant because of disparaging remarks made about the country by contest owner Donald Trump in his bewildering presidential speech last week.
Lupita Jones, who was Miss Universe 24 years ago, said she may withdraw Mexico's contestant because "in this moment, I feel that our representative's integrity and dignity is at risk," she told Mexican broadcaster Radio Channel, KNBC-TV reported Wednesday.
Jones said Trump's remarks about building "a great, great wall" on the Mexican border and making the country pay for it were insulting and misleading. Most immigrants enter the U.S. in search of better lives for themselves and their families, she said.
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Jones, the first Mexican contestant to win Miss Universe, said she felt disrespected as a citizen and as a woman by Trump's remarks that Mexico does not send its best to America, but rather exports crime, drugs and rapists.
Trump, in a statement Wednesday, said he was "personally offended by the main-stream media's attempt to distort my comments regarding Mexico and its great people."
Trump added, "We cannot allow illegal immigrants to pour into our country. We can barely support our own, much less continue to allow millions of people of many different nationalities to enter our country ... and take much needed (sic) jobs from American citizens."
Miss Mexico Wendy Esparza, 23, who works as a journalist, has not responded to the comments.
Mexico Threatens to Boycott Miss Universe Pageant Over Donald Trump’s Statements
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