Juan Cancel Ríos

The Honorable Juan Cancel Ríos
Member of the Puerto Rico Senate from the Arecibo district
In office 1964–1976
7th President of the Senate of Puerto Rico
In office 1973–1976
Preceded by	Rafael Hernández Colón
Succeeded by	Luis A. Ferré
Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from the 12th District
In office 1961–1964
President pro tempore of the Senate of Puerto Rico
In office 1969–1972
Preceded by	Luis Negrón López
Succeeded by	Miguel Hernández Agosto
President of the Municipal Assembly of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
In office 1957–1960
Personal details
Born	Juan José Cancel Ríos (1925-08-20)August 20, 1925 Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
Died	August 26, 1992(1992-08-26) (aged 67) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Political party	Popular Democratic Party
Spouse	Carmen Leticia Alegría Estela
Children	Carmencita María Magdalena Juan Andrés
Education	University of Puerto Rico (BA) University of Puerto Rico School of Law (JD)
Profession	Politician, Attorney
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1945–1947

Juan José Cancel Ríos (August 20, 1925 – August 26, 1992) was a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer who served as the 7th President of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1973 to 1976.

Juan Cancel Ríos was born on August 20, 1925, in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. His parents were Juan Cancel Matos and Salustiana Ríos. Cancel Ríos studied his elementary at Rafael Balseiro Maceira Elementary School in Barceloneta, graduating in 1940. He then went to José Severo Quiñonez High School in Manatí, graduating in 1944. He then went to study at the University of Puerto Rico, but after his first year, enrolled with the United States Army to serve during World War II. In 1947, he was honorably discharged by the Army and he returned to the University, graduating in 1953 with two degrees: Social Science and Law at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law . After passing the bar exam, he became an attorney.

Cancel showed interest in politics since his youth. From 1957 to 1960, he presided the Municipal Assembly of Barceloneta. In 1960, he was elected as a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives for the District of Manatí-Barceloneta. He served in that position from 1961 to 1964.

In 1964, Cancel was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico for the District of Arecibo. He was reelected in 1968 and 1972. In 1973, his fellow senators chose him as President of the Senate. He did so until 1976.

Cancel was also a member of the Board of the Attorney's College, the Lions Club of Manatí, the American Legion, and other civic organizations. After retiring from politics, Cancel presided the Puerto Rico Baseball League.

Cancel Ríos was married to Carmen Leticia Alegría Estela, and they had three children together: Carmencita, María Magdalena and Juan Andrés. Cancel Ríos died on August 26, 1992, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The Barceloneta Government Center is named after him.^[1]

In 2023 Juan Cancel Ríos was posthumously inducted to the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame.^[2]

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Senate of Puerto Rico

• Juan Cancel Biography
• Personas Ilustres de Barceloneta