Comandanta Ramona

Iconic indigenous leader of Mexico's Zapatista movement for women's rights

Comandanta Ramona (1959-2006), a Tzotzil Maya woman, co-founded the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN). Her 1994 uprising in Chiapas demanded:

• Autonomy for Mexico's 56 indigenous groups
• Land reform via 'Ley Revolucionaria de Mujeres' (Women's Revolutionary Law)
• Healthcare/education access for rural communities

At 4'11" tall, she secretly organized across 38 villages while battling cancer. In 1996, Ramona defied government blockades to address 100,000 protesters in Mexico City – her first trip beyond Chiapas. Her embroidered balaclava became a global symbol of resistance until her death from kidney cancer.