Rafael León y García

Rafael León y García, a.k.a., Rafael de León (c. 1814 – c. 1885), was mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 1874 to 1875.

Mayoral term
León y García is remembered for various accomplishments during his short stay as Mayor of Ponce. He is remembered for issuing, in 1874, a circular describing the urgent need to conserve Puerto Rico’s forests to avoid ruining the island's agriculture. Only 9700 hectares (23,969 acres) of heavily timbered forest remained in the Luquillo Forest at the time. Closer to his hometown of Ponce, he is also remembered for spearheading, on 20 May 1874, the project that would eventually result in the construction of the Acueducto de Ponce.