Matías Ramón Mella Castillo, who was most known by his middle name (Ramón), was a Dominican revolutionary, politician, and military general. Mella is regarded as a national hero in the Dominican Republic. He is a hero of two glorious deeds in Dominican history: the proclamation of the First Republic, and the war to restore Dominican independence. Remembered as one of the three founding fathers of the Dominican Republic, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella is partially named in his honor.