María Camila Avella Montañez (born June 26, 1995) is a Colombian beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Colombia 2023. She was the first representative from Casanare to win Miss Universe Colombia.[3][4] She represented her country at Miss Universe 2023 and placed in the top five.[5] She was also the first married woman and mother to reach the top five of Miss Universe.[6]
Personal life
Camila Avella was born June 26, 1995[7] in Yopal, Casanare, Colombia. She is the only child of Martha Cecilia Montañez and electrical engineer Reynaldo Avella.[8] From the age of 10, she played field tennis, and represented Casanare in at national and international tournaments.[9][10] She completed her elementary and high school studies at La Presentación Social Center in her hometown, and studied social communication and journalism at the Sergio Arboleda University in Bogotá D.C.
In 2018, Avella was announced as the representative of the Casanare Department for Señorita Colombia 2018, which would take place in November of the same year in Cartagena. However, the contest's board of directors, cancelled her participation, alleging that Avella had a manager and had professional photographs of her contrary to the contest regulations. Despite her efforts she did compete in the event.[11][12]
