Colombian singer J Balvin has canceled his appearance at the Miss USA pageant following anti-Latino remarks of pageant owner Donald Trump. During his presidential campaign announcement last week, Trump accused Latino immigrants of bringing crime, drugs and rapists across the border, according to the Associated Press.
"When do we beat Mexico at the border?" Trump said in the speech. "They're laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friends, believe me. But they're killing us economically.
"It's coming from more than Mexico, it's coming from all over South and Latin America, and it's coming probably - probably - from the Middle East."
Balvin told Billboard that his appearance was going to be his first performance on national television, but he could not be involved with someone who does not respect where he comes from.
"We're talking about our roots, our culture, and our values," he said. "This isn't about being punitive, but about showing leadership through social responsibility. His comments weren't just about Mexicans, but about all Latins in general."
Balvin is not the only one cutting ties with Trump over his remarks. The entertainment division of Univision Communications released a statement to announce that it is cutting ties with Trump.
"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 reads. We will not be airing the Miss USA pageant on July 12th or working on any other projects tied to the Trump Organization."
