Colombians celebrate Miss Universe win

Carnival has come a few weeks early to the Caribbean city of Barranquilla where residents took to the streets to show their hometown pride after local model Paulina Vega was crowned Miss Universe. Even President Juan Manuel Santos has taken time out during a trip to France to congratulate the 22-year-old for her “historic” title. Beauty pageants are big business in Latin America, where girls are groomed for the contests from a young age and where Vega said women find “a lot of pride” in representing their country. But while neighboring Venezuela has won seven Miss Universe titles, Colombians are accustomed to finishing runner-up. The only other Colombian Miss Universe is 76-year-old Luz Marina Zuluaga.

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