Diego Fernández de Proaño was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who served with Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán

Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán

Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán or sometimes Nuño de Guzmán was a Spanish conquistador and colonial administrator in New Spain. He was Governor of the province of Pánuco from 1525–1533, and of Nueva Galicia from 1529–1534, President of the first Audiencia from 1528-30. He founded several cities in...

 in the exploration of New Galicia

Nueva Galicia

El Nuevo Reino de Galicia or Nueva Galicia was an autonomous kingdom of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was named after Galicia in Spain...

. He was named Justice Major of the city of San Miguel de Culiacán

Culiacán

Culiacán is a city in northwestern Mexico, the largest city in the state of Sinaloa as well as its capital and capital of the municipality of Culiacán. With 675,773 inhabitants in the city , and 858,638 in the municipality, it is the largest city in the state of Sinaloa...

by Guzmán and was later accused of abusing his power to enslave hundreds of local indigenous inhabitants in direct violation of orders from the newly established province's governor. He was the son of Juan de Proaño and of Ana de Cervantes.