Grupo Televisa SAB severed ties with Donald Trump after he labeled Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers and then refused to back down from the comments.
The world's largest Spanish-language media company followed NBC and Univision Communications Inc. in ending its relationship with the businessman and U.S. presidential candidate. Televisa said it was “unacceptable" to have any commercial ties with Miss Universe or any other Trump-related companies.
“Mr. Trump hasn't demonstrated understanding or respect towards Mexican migrants and has offended the entire Mexican population," Televisa said in an e-mailed statement on Monday. “Televisa isn't indifferent to these declarations and energetically condemns all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia."
The move extends the damage to Trump's media ventures in Mexico, where Televisa has broadcast the billionaire real-estate investor's Miss Universe pageant. NBCUniversal, which owns NBC and the Spanish-language Telemundo in the U.S., ended its relationship with Trump earlier on Monday, after he derided Mexican immigrants during a speech announcing his presidential campaign. Univision, the largest U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster, last weekcanceled its telecast of next month's Miss USA pageant, citing Trump's “recent, insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants."
The annual Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants will no longer air on NBC, the network said on Monday.
“Respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values," NBCUniversal said in a statement. “Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump."
In his June 16 speech, Trump said Mexicans bring drugs and crime to the U.S. “They're rapists," he said.
Trump released a statement Monday saying that he is no longer affiliated with NBC and stands by his comments on immigration.
“NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct -- that is why our country is in serious trouble," Trump's campaign said in the statement.
The Miss Universe organization was a joint venture between Trump and Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal. Trump also said in his statement that he told NBC “long ago" that he would stop participating in another program, “Celebrity Apprentice," because he is running for president. NBCUniversal said the show is licensed from Mark Burnett's United Artists Media Group and “that relationship will continue" without Trump.
Trump said last week that the Mexican government put pressure on Univision to break its contract with the Miss Universe organization. He said he's been exposing “the significant damage that is being done at the southern border" of the U.S.
“I have great respect for Mexico and love the Mexican people, but my loyalty is to the United States," Trump had said.
Source: bloomberg.com