Juan de la Cámara

Juan de la Cámara (1525–1602) was a Spanish conquistador, nobleman, and colonial administrator known for his role in the Spanish Conquest of Yucatán. Born into the noble de la Cámara family, he arrived in the New World in 1539 and played a key role in founding Mérida, the second Spanish city in the Yucatan peninsula. He held influential positions in the city council, serving as chief constable and later as mayor of Mérida. Juan also explored and settled parts of Yucatán, Guatemala and Belize, receiving encomiendas from the Spanish Crown.

His observations on the Maya Civilization, documented in letters to Charles V, continue to be cited by scholars. The establishment of a cadet branch within the de la Cámara family marked the beginning of a lineage with notable descendants who played significant roles in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and continued to be influential in Yucatecan society even after Mexican Independence. Juan de la Cámara's descendants became part of the old Mexican nobility, holding positions in various fields and owning notable properties, including long-time ownership of Cancún.