LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  (The Adobo Chronicles) – It’s payback time for Donald Trump!

When the 2015 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant unfolds at the Planet Hollywood resort in Las Vegas on December 20, there will be fewer contestants and none of the traditional top contenders and title holders. It is the biggest boycott of the pageant, owned by the real estate mogul.

It’s all because of Trump’s rhetoric since launching his campaign to become the Republican nominee for president of the United States.  He had bashed Mexicans for being criminals and rapists, criticized the Chinese for tourism births (‘anchor babies’), made insensitive remarks about the Ebola crisis in West Africa, and touted the superiority of the white race over colored people.

Among the Latin countries boycotting the pageant in solidarity with Mexico are Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, Venezuela, and Colombia — all perennial top ten finalists or title holders in the prestigious international beauty contest. Miss China has cancelled her trip to Las Vegas, as has Miss Japan, who is half black.  Countries in West Africa have also indicated they will not send their representatives to Las Vegas.

As of presstime, it wasn’t clear whether Miss Philippines will compete in this year’s pageant, although for a different reason.

Earlier reports indicate that a candidate for Philippine president, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has asked the Philippines to withdraw the candidacy of Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, who was born in Germany.  Duterte is a known ‘birther’ and has questioned the candidacy of Senator Grace Poe, a foundling, whom the mayor says is ineligible to run for president because she is not a natural-born citizen.

The 2015 Miss Universe Pageant will be aired on Fox Channel.  This, after NBC and Univision severed their ties with Trump over his remarks on Mexicans.