Mariana Bracetti

Mariana Bracetti
"Brazo de Oro" (Golden Arm)
Born	1825 (1825) Añasco, Puerto Rico
Died	1903 (1904) Añasco, Puerto Rico
Occupation	Puerto Rico independence movement leader
Spouse(s)	Miguel Rojas

Mariana Bracetti (1825–1903) was a patriot and leader of the Puerto Rico independence movement in the 1860s. She is attributed with having knitted the flag that was intended to be used as the national emblem of Puerto Rico in its attempt to overthrow the Spanish government on the island, and to establish the island as a sovereign republic. The attempted overthrow was the Grito de Lares, and Bracetti's creation became known as "The Flag of Lares." The flag's design was later adopted as the official flag of the municipality of Lares, Puerto Rico.

Bracetti, born in the city of Añasco, Puerto Rico, met and developed a romantic relationship with Miguel Rojas, a rich businessman visiting Añasco. Rojas and his brother Manuel owned a coffee plantation called "El Triunfo." Miguel and Manuel Rojas were admirers of Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances and were influenced by his ideals of independence for Puerto Rico. Bracetti married Rojas with whom she had children.

Bracetti then moved to the hacienda "El Triunfo", which was to become the clandestine nucleus of the revolution that would be known as the El Grito de Lares. The Rojas' admiration for Betances led them to join him in the conspiracy to rebel against, and gain independence from, Spain.

The Rojas brothers became the independence leaders in Lares and their code name was Centro Bravo (Bravo Center). Manuel Rojas, Bracetti's brother-in-law, was named Commander of the Liberation Army. Mathias Brugman was the independence leader in Mayagüez and his group went by the code name of Capá Prieto (Dark Cape).