Dismayed Colombian fans call Pia Wurtzbach's Miss Universe win a 'joke'

Filipina beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach made the entire country proud after winning the Miss Universe. But the journey has not been easy. Even during the last moments, a mix-up added drama to the coronation night. Miss Colombia Ariadna María Gutiérrez Arévalo was originally named Miss Universe.

The dismayed fans of the Colombian stunner did not hide their disappointment when their bet was de-crowned just a few minutes after she was proclaimed the Miss Universe, which caused tension at The Axis Auditorium in Las Vegas on Monday (Philippine time).

A report by Lei Alvis on GMA-7's 24 Oras showed a clip of how the Colombians reacted when host Steve Harvey corrected his error and announced the real winner. While the Filipino crowd cheered, the Colombians booed and shouted, "Philippines did not win anything! Colombia is the queen!"

"It's a joke," a Colombian spectator told Marvin Tomandao, who took videos of audience reactions during the coronation night.

A Filipino fan also said that some Colombians tried to take the Philippine flag while waving it in celebration.

"Nagkagulo na. The Colombians, they don't want to accept the fact that Miss Philippines was actually Miss Universe. Winawagayway ko ang Philippine flag and they were like taking it away from me," he said.

Harvey and the Miss Universe organization apologized to the public, to the beauty queens, and their families for the kerfuffle.

Wurtzbach, speaking in behalf of Miss Universe, also apologized to Arévalo and the Colombians and her supporters.

"I hope I did not upset anybody, like the Latino community, especially the fans of Miss Colombia. I'm the voice of Miss Universe now so I'd like to send my apologies for any confusion that happened," she said.

"I hope this does not affect your relationship with Miss Universe and of course your relationship with the Filipino community as well," she added.

Nonetheless, the 26-year-old beauty queen took the chance to thank her fans for voting for her.

"You guys have been essential to my victory... I can't wait to come home and bring home the crown," she said. —Trisha Macas/AT, GMA News