SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: A judge dismissed a $3 million lawsuit filed by a former beauty queen whose title was taken away for purported attitude problems and who sought to be reinstated as Puerto Rico’s Miss Universe representative.
Superior Court Judge Eduardo Rebollo said in his ruling that Kristhielee Caride’s behavior violated the terms of her contract with PR Crown Entertainment and the company was within its rights to sever the relationship.
“Her dismissal was justified,” Rebollo wrote.
Caride’s attorney, Ernie Caban, suggested on Twitter that the ruling discriminated against Caride because of her social status.
“Power prevails over the limitations of a queen from a public housing complex,” he wrote.
The ruling concluded a nearly weeklong trial that captivated pageant fans on an island known for its beauty queens, with TV stations interrupting regular programming to show testimony.
Rebollo cited several incidents, among them Caride’s refusal to have her hair color or style altered; a newspaper interview in which she gave only terse answers to questions and said she did not love cameras; and her failure to appear on a local TV entertainment program because she said traffic made it too hard to reach the studio.
A shoe sponsor also declined to work with her despite having paid for the right to use Caride’s image because they considered her a “risk” given her behavior, according to testimony.
Desiree Lowry, national director of Miss Universe Puerto Rico, testified that she asked Caride to call the newspaper reporter after the interview and apologize for her behavior.
“She looked at me with a face that said, ‘Are you serious?’” Lowry said.
In addition, Lowry testified that Caride refused to go to the salon that PR Crown Entertainment employed and used her own stylist instead.
At trial, Caride defended her decision and accused salon employees of being disrespectful.
“I’m not going to a place where I’m not wanted,” she said. “I’m not going to a place where they are constantly rubbing in my face the Miss Universe candidate from San Juan. It’s not my fault that girl didn’t win.”
Puerto Rico beauty queen loses case
Puerto Rico beauty queen loses case
Egypt’s grand museum begins live restoration of King Khufu’s ancient boat
- The 4,600-year-old boat was built during the reign of King Khufu, the pharaoh who also commissioned the Great Pyramid of Giza
CAIRO: Egypt began a public live restoration of King Khufu’s ancient solar boat at the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum on Tuesday, more than 4,000 years after the vessel was first built.
Egyptian conservators used a small crane to carefully lift a fragile, decayed plank into the Solar Boats Museum hall — the first of 1,650 wooden pieces that make up the ceremonial boat of the Old Kingdom pharaoh.
The 4,600-year-old boat was built during the reign of King Khufu, the pharaoh who also commissioned the Great Pyramid of Giza. The vessel was discovered in 1954 in a sealed pit near the pyramids, but its excavation did not begin until 2011 due to the fragile condition of the wood.
“You are witnessing today one of the most important restoration projects in the 21st century,” Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy said.
“It is important for the museum, and it is important for humanity and the history and the heritage.”
The restoration will take place in full view of visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum over the coming four years.
