By Francisco Salazar (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 25, 2013 01:28 PM EDT

Marisela Demontecristo is quickly rising to fame after having won "Nuestra Belleza Latina."

Born in El Salvador, the model auditioned for "Nuestra Belleza Latina" in December 2012. Before being accepted to the realty show, Demontecristo was studying Communications because she dreamt of becoming a TV host. In El Salvador, Demoncritsto described her life as very simple. She said she loved to hang out with friends and was passionate about playing the violin.

During the reality TV show, Demontecristo was always seen as an underdog. The model was always criticized by many for not being beautiful and for not having much grace on the stage. However, during the show Demontecristo improved and impressed many of the judges.

During the finale, Demontecristo surprised audiences and fans when it was announced that she had beat favorite Audris Rijo by 4 million votes. She stated, "I can't believe it, I felt and I told Audris that she was going to win. When they said my name I didn't know how to react, or what to say. I haven't even been able to cry until this moment." 

The victory meant winning $250,000 and a one-year contract with Univision. Since her win, Demontecristo traveled back to El Salvador after ten years where she visited her humble hometown. There, she was honored with a ceremony by her school teachers and a parade that featured the mayor of San Salvador.

Throughout her one-year reign as "Nuestra Belleza Latina," Demontecristo has donated money to her hometown and plans to continue her education. She has also promised to help her cousin Brandy who was born sick. Demontecristo has already appeared on "El Gordo y La Flaca," HuffPost Voces and "Despierta America." Additionally, she also served as presenter on "Premios Juventud."

As Demontecristo continues her reign, she is likely to become a leading personality on Spanish TV.

© 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.