USA: Apparent pepper spray sabotage attempt fails to stop Miss Puerto Rico

Beauty queen wins Miss Puerto Rico contest her despite dress and make-up being covered with pepper spray in apparent sabotage. At a news conference Monday (November 26) Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico and the director of the beauty pageant said her clothes and makeup were sprayed with pepper spray during the contest. Ms. Rivera did her best on Friday to put on a happy face and managed to win the beauty pageant although her face was swollen and her body had broken out in itchy hives. The 24-year-old from the town of Dorado was all smiles in front of the audience and judges during the competition, which ended on Friday when she beat 29 rivals. But backstage, she had to strip off her clothes and ice down her face and body to fight swelling and hives. Pageant officials have vowed to get to the bottom of the attempted sabotage that tainted the pageant, an event that inspires passions in the U.S. Caribbean territory. Puerto Rico has produced five Miss Universe winners. "You can't penalise me for being ambitious and preparing as best I can for the opportunity to represent my island," said Rivera at the news conference at which her parents cried in the audience. Pageant organizers say they suspected a member of the team handling one of Rivera's competitors was responsible. Magali Febles, director of the Miss Puerto Rico Universe Pageant, said the person behind the "vile act" was "from inside". Organizers also said Rivera's bags, containing clothing and credit cards, were stolen, and that a bomb threat called in on Thursday forced the cancellation of some preliminary events. Police were investigating the bomb threat. Beauty competitions are important stuff in Puerto Rico. The ability to field a Miss Universe competitor from Puerto Rico, as well as Olympic sports teams, is a factor in the island's endless political debate, brought about by its status as a U.S. territory with aspects of a state and an independent country. The events are widely watched, the winners are front page news and the local press is filled with speculation about favourites in the days prior to the competition.

ITN Source | December 3, 2007

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