Diego de Alcaraz was a Spanish captain during the early days of the colony of New Spain. He is remembered for his brutality in collecting Native Americans as slaves in the regions of what is now northern Mexico and the southwest United States. In 1536, he was the first Spanish official to meet the survivors of the failed Pánfilo de Narváez expedition. Alcaraz was killed by Indians while on expedition with Francisco Vásquez de Coronado.
Diego de Alcaraz was the first Spanish soldier the four survivors led by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca encountered. He was initially dubious of their claims to be Spaniards, particularly as they'd been burnt by their years-long trek in the desert. However, he soon came to believe their claims, and escorted them to Culiacán. As Alcaraz did not provide the slave Estevánico with a horse, Estevánico saw no reason to reveal his magical eyewear. His fellow survivors tacitly agreed.