25 year old Caitlin Cifuentes, 25,
who won the title of Miss Corpus Christi Latina (Miss America Latina) in June
has been disqualified and stripped of her
crown on the ground that she been
married previously and also had a criminal record.
After the lawsuit was filed, Acirema
Alayeto, president and founder of Miss America Latina, announced Cifuentes
would no longer be recognized as the winner.
'Cifuentes does not have the proper
credentials to hold such a title,' Alayeto said in a statement.
In a post on Facebook, Cifuentes rejected the move to strip her of her crown and claimed she has being mistreated.
'I was discriminated against, slandered, judged in the harshest ways, but guess what?' she wrote. 'I am still the real winner. Keep that old title because I would rather not be involved with a program which allows bullying. That's not what I stand for.'
'I am the people's champ,' she added. 'I am the people's choice. I am a leader. I believe that people can make a mistake and move on from it. I am a leader for all women who have gone through tough times and did not feel like a beauty queen.'
Valeria Barrera, the first runner-up, has been given the title and will represent the coastal city in the state event.
