Pancha Carrasco
Pancha Carrasco | |
|---|---|
Painting of Pancha Carrasco around 1880. | |
| Born | Francisca Carrasco Jiménez 8 April 1816 |
| Died | 31 December 1890 (aged 74) |
| Known for | First Costa Rican woman in military |
| Spouse(s) | Juan Solano, Gil Zúñiga |
| Parent(s) | Jose Francisco Carrasco and Maria Jiménez |
Pancha Carrasco (8 April 1816 – 31 December 1890), born Francisca Carrasco Jiménez, was Costa Rica's first woman in the military. Carrasco is most famous for joining the defending forces at the Battle of Rivas in 1856 with a rifle and a pocketful of bullets. The strength and determination she showed there made her a symbol of national pride and she was later honored with a Costa Rican postage stamp, a Coast Guard vessel, and the creation of the "Pancha Carrasco Police Women's Excellence Award".