And the fallout continues.
Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s biting remarks during his campaign launch, reducing Mexicans who come to the U.S. to drug dealers and rapists, among other things, has led media giant Univision to end its partnership with the Miss Universe Organization.
Univision, which is the leading Spanish-language station for the nation’s largest minority group, will not air the Miss USA pageant on July 12.
In a statement, Univision attributed its decision to Trump’s “recent, insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants.”
“At Univision, we see first-hand the work ethic, love for family, strong religious values and the important role Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans have had and will continue to have in building the future of our country,” the statement said. “We will not be airing the Miss USA pageant on July 12th or working on any other projects tied to the Trump Organization.”
The businessman took to Twitter in response to the network's decision, alluding that Univision's move is an attempt to silence him on U.S.-Mexico foreign affairs.
"Mexican gov doesn't want me talking about terrible border situation & horrible trade deals. Forcing Univision to get me to stop- no way!" Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
"Univision wants to back out of signed @MissUniverse contract because I exposed the terrible trade deals that the U.S. makes with Mexico," he continued. "I love Mexico but not the unfair trade deals that the U.S. so stupidly makes with them. Really bad for U.S. jobs, only good for Mexico."
The mayor of Doral, Fla., the most recent location to host the Miss Universe Pageant, said Univision is right not to air the event.
“What he said about Mexicans was wrong, it was rude,” said Mayor Luigi Boria, who is of Venezuelan descent, in an interview with Fox News Latino. “The whole Latino community should care about what he said about Mexicans. We are all part of the Hispanic community. I agree with the Mexican community, they deserve respect.”
Boria said Trump must apologize.
“He better retract what he said before this grows even bigger,” Boria said. Many Latinos here and in Latin America, he said, “grow up watching Miss Universe.”
The move by Univision is the latest response by Latinos to Trump’s remarks about Mexicans.
The woman in charge of the organization that chooses Miss Mexico, the former Miss Universe Lupita Jones, said earlier this week she is considering pulling the country from the Miss Universe pageant.
And Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin canceled his planned performance at this year’s Miss USA pageant, citing pageant owner Trump’s “hateful political rhetoric” as the reason.
A spokesperson said Balvin’s management team has told the Miss Universe organization, owned by Trump, to withdraw his name from the performance list.
"J Balvin was initially very grateful for the opportunity to share his music with a national U.S. network television audience (...) However, he can no longer in good conscience agree to take part in an event that is overseen by, and creates a profit for Donald Trump, while Mr. Trump attacks the hard-working Latino immigrant community with hateful political rhetoric."
In addition to Blavin, Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sanchez said she would also be withdrawing as co-presenter to the Miss USA pageant, telling the Associated Press, "I'm out."
"It was a collective decision with my team. Since I saw Trump's speech, as a Latina it made a knot in my stomach," she said in Spanish. "'It has to be a joke,' I though. It's very sad."
The "Devious Maids" star said she very honored and thrilled to be asked to be a part of the Miss USA pageant, but as a Latina, she couldn't "disrespect the community."
In his presidential announcement, Trump said: "Nobody can build a fence like me. I would build a wall like nobody can build a wall. And nobody comes in illegally anymore … I build great buildings all over the world. I would have Mexico pay for it. Believe me. They will pay for it because they have really ripped this country off.”
He added: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. 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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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