Ramona Martínez

Ramona Martínez ( 19th century) was an enslaved Paraguayan nurse. She became a heroine in the Triple Alliance War and was described as "the American Joan of Arc".

Biography Little is known about the early life of Martínez, other than that she was enslaved by President Francisco Solano López. Martínez, who was aged either 15 or 22 according to differing accounts, was present at the battle, working as a nurse. When she witnessed the wounding of Major Francisco Ozuna, she was inspired to attack the enemy with a sword. This act persuaded her comrades and other wounded soldiers to rally and stop the advance of the Brazilians. As a result of her intervention and her fighting, the newspaper El Semanario nicknamed her "the American Joan of Arc". She is also significant as she represents a number of enslaved people who fought in the war and whose lives have been overlooked by historians researching the war, alongside those of indigenous people.