Beauty contest held among inmates in Columbian jail

The beauty contest is held at the El Buen Pastor women's jail every September to honour the Virgin of Mercedes, the patron saint of prisons.

Virginia Camacho, who is the secreatary of the Bogota jail and organises the pageant, said: 'The fact that they made a mistake in their lives doesn't mean they aren't allowed to be a human being or feel like a woman.'

The prsion's nine cellblocks each elect their own queen, with those nine queens going head-to-head to compete for the overall prize.

The beauty competition takes a lot of preparation, said 23-year-old Karina Lopez, who won her cellblock's title: 'Not just anyone can represent their cellblock.'

The contest is seen as an attempt to rehabilitate the prisoners, many of whom have been involved with drug gangs since they were children.


/Metro.co.uk/