Do Beauty Queens Lie to Win?

Dec. 4, 2007 — -- Forget the sparkly tiaras and flowing couture gowns — pageant life isn't always as glamorous as it seems.

Especially if you ask newly crowned Miss Puerto Rico Universe Ingrid Marie Rivera, who says her competitors at last month's beauty pageant tried to sabotage her by spraying her outfit and makeup with pepper spray, causing her to break out in hives.

Rivera was reportedly the favored contestant in the island's pageant.

"At one point, I said, 'am I a masochist?'" Rivera said in a tearful news conference, where she explained to reporters how she had considered dropping out of the competition. "But I said, 'I am with God and this is my goal, regardless of the results.'"

But when the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute tested Rivera's belongings for traces of the chemical found in pepper spray, they came up empty-handed, according to Reuters, leading those who had been feeling sorry for the botched beauty queen to question whether Rivera had pulled the prank.

"I guess she has a lot of explaining to do," police spokesman Stephen Alvarez told the news service.

While Rivera has yet to comment on allegations that the pepper spray incident never happened — or, if it did, that it was self-inflicted — people close to the pageant don't seem surprised at the unfolding controversy.

Fellow Puerto Rican pageant contestant Bianca Morales appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and said that there was certainly tension between the beauty queens, likely due to jealousy.

"We more or less know the girls who were very mad about [Rivera's ongoing success]," said Morales, who refused to be more specific about who may have sought revenge. "[S]ooner or later we'll know. Everybody's going to know."

Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler told ABCNEWS.com that pageants — especially those held in Latin countries — are extremely competitive and often lead contestants to do anything it takes to look good.