Miss Universe defends keeping crown despite Trump row

Paulina Vega, 22, won the 2014 Miss Universe pageant last January in Miami

The reigning Miss Universe says she will not give up her crown, despite her home country Colombia withdrawing its bid to host the competition.

Paulina Vega had come under pressure to quit after her country's condemnation of the pageant owner, Donald Trump.

Mr Trump caused a furore last month after he said Mexican immigrants who came to the US brought drugs and crime.

Ms Vega called Mr Trump's comments "unjust and hurtful", but said she would continue as Miss Universe.

"The fact that I am not giving up my crown doesn't mean I am changing my stance about everything I said," Ms Vega told local radio on Monday, adding that the Miss Universe organisation did meaningful social work.

"I have kept doing my job as Miss Universe all these days. The work continues as always despite all this craziness going on," she added.

Boycott

Mr Trump had attacked Ms Vega for keeping her crown, saying: "Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, criticised me for telling the truth about illegal immigration, but then said she would keep the crown - hypocrite."

While announcing his candidacy for the US presidency last month, Mr Trump had accused Mexico of sending rapists and other criminals to the United States.

He also pledged to build a "great wall" on the US border with Mexico and insisted it would be paid for by Mexicans.

He later insisted he was criticising US lawmakers, not Mexican people.

Following Mr Trump's remarks, several TV networks across the Americas said they would no longer air Miss Universe, including the Spanish language network, Univision and NBC.

Mexico also announced that it would not send a contestant to the pageant.