Caitlin Cifuentes, seen here in a screen capture from Facebook, should have been told weeks ago she was not qualified to compete in the Miss Corpus Christi Latina pageant, the national director said Tuesday. 
 
 By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times 
 
 Miss Corpus Christi Latina winner Caitlin Cifuentes should not have been allowed to compete, the national organization's president said. 
 
 A week before the June 11 competition, officials from the Organization of Miss America Latina, Inc. told local pageant director, Kayla Alvarez, that Cifuentes was ineligible because of a pending criminal charge, president and founder Acirema Alayeto told the Caller-Times on Tuesday. 
 
 The first runner up, Valeria Barrera, will claim the title, according to a news release from the national organization. 
 
 "(Alvarez) was told a month ago. (Cifuentes) should have been informed since Day 1," Alayeto said. 
 
 About two weeks after the pageant, six contestants filed a lawsuit against Alvarez, stating she should not have been allowed Cifuentes to compete. 
 
 Alvarez and Cifuentes pointed to a part of the contract that states "other than minor or petty offenses I have never been convicted of any criminal offense and there are no criminal charges presently pending against me." 
 
 "Just because you have a bad background ... doesn't mean that should hold you back from accomplishing your goals, " Alvarez said. "She's worked very hard and the judges saw that, and she won fair and square." 
 
 Cifuentes is on deferred adjudicated probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and probation for a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated case, according to court records. Cifuentes pleaded guilty in exchange for the type of probation that will allow her to avoid a conviction if she successfully completes the terms. 
 
 Alvarez previously said Cifuentes' record doesn't disqualify her because deferred adjudication probation is not legally a conviction. Alayeto disputed that argument and said the charge is considered pending. 
 
 "She pleaded guilty so I don't understand why there's such confusion on the part of the city director on that part," Alayeto said. 
 
 Further, she said, the queen must be able to compete at the state level and terms of Cifuentes' probation prohibit her from leaving Nueces County without permission. 
 
 Alayeto said Alvarez was emailed Tuesday about Cifuentes' crown being revoked and a news release was published. 
 
 "The Organization of Miss America Latina, Inc ... will NOT honor Ms. Cifuentes' application as a candidate for our National Pageant," according to a news release from Alayeto. "In addition, (the organization) does not recognize Caitlin Cifuentes as the winner of the Miss Corpus Christi Latina Pageant held on June 11, 2016. Cifuentes does not have the proper credentials to hold such a title." 
 
 The newly named Miss Corpus Christi Latina is one of the women suing Alvarez. Cifuentes is not a party in the suit. 
 
 Twitter: @CallerKMT 

 Miss Corpus Christi Latina speaks out after being forced to return crown, give up title 
 
 Weeks after a lawsuit complained that Miss Corpus Christi Latina should have been disqualified from entering the pageant, the 25-year-old winner will have to give up her title. 
 
 The national organization's president and founder Acirema Alayeto said Caitlin Cifuentes is no longer recognized as the winner of the June 11 contest and her application will not be honored for the national pageant. 
 
 RELATED: Miss Corpus Christi Latina contestants sue, claiming winner's past should disqualify her 
 
 "Cifuentes does not have the proper credentials to hold such a title," Alayeto said in a news release. 
 
 Six Miss Corpus Christi Latina contestants filed a lawsuit against pageant director Kayla Alvarez after Cifuentes was crowned, claiming Cifuentes should have been disqualified for having a criminal record and previous marriage. The lawsuit seeks $100,000. 
 
 Valeria Barrera, who was first runner-up in the pageant, is among the contestants suing. She will now gain the title and will compete for the state crown in August. 
 
 RELATED: Miss South Texas' amazing weight loss transformation 
 
 According to Nueces County court documents, Cifuentes is on deferred adjudicated probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and probation for a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated case. 
 
 Cifuentes took to social media to speak out about the organization's decision. 
 
 "... Let's remember this, nobody in life is perfect," she wrote in a Facebook post. "I do not have a 'title' of MissCCL anymore but that does not stop me from being the Queen of Corpus Christi. I am here to empower those who have made mistakes in their past and are successful or are working toward success." 
 
 "I was discriminated against, slandered, judged in the harshest ways, but guess what? I am still the real winner. Keep that old title because I would rather not be involved with a program which allows bullying. That's not what I stand for." 
 
 RELATED: Miss America winners 1921-2014 
 
 The national organizations motto is "more than a model ... a role model." Cifuentes said it's inaccurate to claim she's not a role model. 
 
 "I am the people's champ," she wrote. "I am the people's choice. I am a leader. I believe that people can make a mistake and move on from it. I am a leader for all women who have gone through tough times and did not feel like a beauty queen ... In my eyes, one's past does not define them." 

 Caitlin Cifuentes, the first ever Miss Corpus Christi Latina has been dethroned, according to founder. 
 
 The winner of the first ever Miss Corpus Christi Latina pageant has been dethroned. 
 
 According to Acirema Alayeto, president and founder of the Organization of Miss America Latina, the organization that set the rules and guidelines for this particular pageant, Valeria Barrera, the runner-up to Caitlin Cifuentes, is now recognized as the new reigning 2016-2017 Miss Corpus Christi Latina. 
 
 This story was first reported by Action Ten News on June 29th. 
 
 Six pageant contestants filed suit against Kayla Alvarez, the pageant's local director, accusing her of allowing Cifuentes to not only participate in the pageant, but to do so fully aware that Cifuentes did not meet the qualifications. The suit alleges that Cifuentes has a criminal record and has been married in the past. Both are violations of pageant qualifications. 
 
 Action Ten News offered Alvarez an opportunity to give her side of this story, but she did not respond until the day after our story aired. Alvarez said she and Cifuentes would interview with us, but she called back and postponed and has not called again. 
 
 Action Ten News contacted Alayeto by phone. She confirmed that she told Alvarez that Cifuentes was ineligible and should not be allowed to compete because she has felony arrests. 
 
 The pageant winner qualifies for the state competition. 
 
 The pageant was held Saturday, June 11th at the Holiday Inn Airport and Convention Center. 
 
 Also, a spokesperson for the Women's Shelter of South Texas confirmed to Action Ten News that they had an agreement in writing with local pageant director Kayla Alvarez that the Shelter would receive up to 30 percent of the proceeds from the pageant. The Shelter confirmed they have not received any money from Alvarez. 
 
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– From scandal to lawsuits to a dethroning, it's safe to say that the inaugural year of the Corpus Christi Latina beauty pageant was not an unqualified success. Acirema Alayeto, Miss America Latina's national director, says Caitlin Cifuentes has had her crown revoked and has been replaced by runner-up Valeria Barrera, Action 10 reports. Barrera was one of six runners-up from the June 11 pageant who sued the pageant's local director, saying the 25-year-old Cifuentes should not have been allowed to compete because of issues such as her deferred adjudicated probation on a 2013 charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She is also on probation for a misdemeanor DUI stemming from the same incident in 2013, a car crash that injured four. Cifuentes and local pageant director Kayla Alvarez had argued that Cifuentes technically had no convictions and no pending charges, which made her eligible to compete, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports. Alayeto countered that Cifuentes has to complete the probation to avoid a conviction, so the assault charge—which she pleaded guilty to—should be considered pending. Cifuentes will no longer be eligible for the national pageant, reports the Houston Chronicle, which notes that the organization's motto is "more than a model ... a role model." In a Facebook post, Cifuentes thanked supporters and described herself as a positive role model. "Everyone makes mistakes but what you do after is what counts," she wrote.