| "> | | | | An Idol in Colombia |
| Miss Universe 1958 | | | | At the 23rd Miss Universe in San Salvador, El |
| On July 25, 1958, Luz Marina Zuloaga, Colombia's | | | | Salvador' s capital city (Central America), she was one |
| delegate, was crowned Miss Universe, replacing | | | | of the international judges, together with Jean-Claude |
| Gladys Zender Urbina (Peru), who had won the | | | | Killy (Olympic champ), Leon Uris (novelist), and Sarah |
| universal event in July 1957. Thirty-six beauty queens | | | | Vaugham (performer). With support from Zuloaga, |
| from all over the world compete for the global title, | | | | Miss Colombia 1975, Martha Lucia Echeverri Trujillo, |
| including Poland, a Communist nation in Eastern Europe. | | | | qualified for the semi-finals in Central America. During |
| That year, the Latin American nation was one of three | | | | the pageant, she also met with Norma Beatriz Nolan |
| countries - British Guiana (now Guyana) and Dutch | | | | (MU 1962), Gladys Zender (MU 1957), Corinna Tsopei |
| Guiana (present-day Suriname) were the others--- to | | | | (MU 1964) and Kerry Anne Wells (MU 1972). |
| make its MU debut in Long Beach, CA. Her | | | | Like Juan Pablo Montoya (auto racing), Shakira (singer), |
| performance became her a national celebrity in the | | | | and Maria Isabel Urrutia (ex athlete), Zuloaga is an idol |
| South American republic. | | | | in Colombia. Since Zuloaga became the nation's first |
| During the pageant, Zuloaga had been considered a | | | | MU, Colombia has not won an Miss Universe title. By |
| dark horse. Colombia's Miss Universe Luz Marina, a | | | | 1987, Patricia López was seen as a hope of bringing |
| native of Pereira, was the first Miss Universe to | | | | the country its second Miss Universe. Two weeks |
| appear on a national postage stamp. After his victory, | | | | before Miss Universe Pageant, she had been crowned |
| Luz Marina Zuloaga received several telegrams from | | | | Miss South America Universe, at the expense of Ines |
| friends and personalities who wanted to congratulate | | | | Maria Calero (Venezuela) and Cecilia Bolocco (Chile). |
| her, among them Alberto Lleras Camargo, Colombia's | | | | During the global event in Singapore, Miss Colombia |
| Head of State (1958-1962). Meanwhile, a nationwide | | | | became the darling of the press, and she won the |
| celebration occurred, from Bucaramanga and Cali to | | | | Miss Photogenic award. Due to all this, Miss López |
| Bogota and Manizales, after the victory. | | | | was one of the heavy favorites to win the international |
| Subsequently she embarked on a two-week tour of | | | | contest. However she did not even make the |
| Latin America. Without a doubt, her image has been | | | | semi-finals at the Miss Universe in Asia. From 1992 to |
| invaluable in the development of a positive public image | | | | 1994, Miss Colombia was runner-up. In 1997 the |
| for Colombia, a pageant-obsessed nation. By the late | | | | country's representative Claudia Vasquez, a |
| 1950s and early 1960s, she was considered one of the | | | | pre-pageant favorite, failed to make the semi-finals in |
| region's most beautiful girls. | | | | Miami Beach, Florida (USA). |