SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A beauty queen who was dethroned as Puerto Rico's representative at this year's Miss Universe contest after organizers accused her of having an attitude problem is taking her fight to court.
After winning the Miss Universe pageant, former Miss Puerto Rico Kristhielee Caride was stripped of her crown for having what contest organizers claim was an attitude problem.
Kristhielee Caride filed a $3 million lawsuit Thursday, demanding the return of her crown and the gifts she won — including a car, plastic surgery and a seven-day cruise. She was stripped of her title nearly a month ago.
The lawsuit charges breach of contract and contractual damages. It was filed against PR Crown Entertainment and officials, including Desiree Lowry, national director of Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
Lowry's attorney, former Puerto Rico Justice Secretary Antonio Sagardia, said he declined a request to meet with Caride's attorneys.
"There's nothing to talk about," he said. "Our decision is final."
Caride was criticized for being dismissive and saying in an interview with a local newspaper that she did not love cameras. Enlarge 
According to the lawsuit, Caride underwent an unspecified surgical intervention in late February and needed to rest for a month — one of a few things that affected her emotional state. Enlarge
Caride's attorney, Ernie Caban, did not return a call for comment.
Caride was stripped of her title after she was criticized for being dismissive and saying in an interview with a local newspaper that she did not love cameras.
"That's like an athlete saying, 'I don't like to train,"' Sagardia said.
Lowry told reporters at the time that Caride never apologized and said only that she was having personal issues and that such an incident would not happen again. Lowry said Caride then canceled other appearances because of a doctor's appointment she refused to reschedule.
The lawsuit says Caride underwent an unspecified surgical intervention in late February and needed to rest for a month. It said she then made a required public appearance and did not wear unspecified, required post-operation accessories on Lowry's orders. The lawsuit also states that a friend of Caride's suffered a hemorrhage during that time and it affected her emotional state.