Miami, May 27, 2025
Colombian creator Paola Ruiz won the Miss Quindío Universal 2025 contest and became the first woman with a cleft lip to win a beauty pageant.
“I still can’t believe it. There were talented, divine, elegant, and intelligent women. I took my other partner by the hand, and I told God ‘may it be your will, heavenly father,'” said the most popular Colombian on TikTok.
The popular influencer recognized the hard work to be able to win, with months dedicated only to catwalk classes, oratory and history of Quindío and Colombia.
“I feel that all stigmatized communities were given a voice. Quindío is going all out with me.
I want to represent him in every way. My dream was to represent each of the girls who at some point felt that they were not going to make it. Beauty goes beyond any physical, it is your heart, your mind and your soul,” Ruiz said.
Her next step is to wait for a response from RCN to find out if there will be a casting or if she will compete directly for Miss Universe Colombia.
Paola became in 2024 the first model with a cleft lip to parade at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), where she exhibited the clothes of Giannina Azar, one of the most recognized designers in the field of international fashion.
Paola Ruiz reached the top thanks to social networks, after an extremely difficult life, surrounded by bullying, emigration, the loss of a brother and exhausting medical treatments.
More about Paola Ruiz:
https://www.youtube.com/@Paoruizb/videos
https://www.tiktok.com/@paoruizb?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/paolaaruizb/
https://www.instagram.com/paoruizb_/