Miss Universe says she's keeping her crown

Miss Universe would like you to stop calling her a hypocrite.

Reigning Colombian beauty queen Paulina Vega has refused to give up her Miss Universe crown, despite Donald Trump's recent derogatory remarks about Mexican immigrants. (The Trump Organization owns the Miss Universe franchise.)

Like others, Vega has called Trump's remarks "unjust and hurtful." Trump bit back on Sunday, tweeting: "Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, criticized me for telling the truth about illegal immigration, but then said she would keep the crown — Hypocrite."

Now faced with criticism and pressure to give the glittering tiara (and title) back, Vega on Monday dismissed Trump's comments and said she would continue doing the organization's social work.

"The fact that I am not giving up my crown doesn't mean that I am changing my stance about everything I said," Vega said during a radio interview in Columbia. "It doesn't make any sense that Donald Trump calls me a hypocrite because I'm not giving up my crown."

Colombia recently retracted its bid to host Miss Universe next year, and Mexico announced it won't be sending any candidate to the competition.

Vega, 22, won the 2014 Miss Universe pageant this January in Miami.

"The Miss Universe Organization works independently from its owners, Vega said on her Instagram account on July 2. "If the Miss Universe Organization shared any anti-Latin sentiments or any type of racial biases, I wouldn't be in this position today. I strongly believe that dividing and categorizing humankind only holds it back."

Corporate America spent last week distancing itself from Trump. Following Univision's decision to cut ties to the real estate magnate (and refusing to air the Miss USA pageant), NBC canceled plans to air Miss USA – and fired Trump from The Apprentice. NASCAR, Macy's and Serta soon dumped their partnerships with Trump as well.

Meanwhile, Republicans can't get away from Trump fast enough. "I've said very clearly that Donald Trump does not represent the Republican Party," said Rick Perry Sunday on ABC's This Week, as celebrities like Ricky Martin, Shakira and America Ferrera piled on the criticism.

The hot water continued on July 4 when The Wrap reported Trump retweeted a comment that Jeb Bush "has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife." Bush's wife, Columba, is Mexican. "The tweet appeared to be live for 24 hours before Trump deleted it," said The Wrap, which captured a screen grab of the tweet.

But the Miss Universe tiara, so far, is staying on Vega's head. In her radio interview, the beauty queen stressed that the pageant existed long before Trump acquired it and that "it will continue to exist if he stops being its owner someday."

"I have kept doing my job as Miss Universe all these days. The work continues as always despite all this craziness going on," she said.

Contributing: The Associated Press