José Ceballos was a Spanish Brigadier during the Venezuelan War of Independence and Governor of Coro Province in Venezuela in 1810 at the outbreak of the revolution.
He was a protégé of the Captain General of Venezuela Vicente Emparan, and remained faithful to Spain at the outbreak of the Spanish-American independence revolution in 1810.
In March 1812, he sent a column under the command of frigate captain Domingo de Monteverde, who led a dazzling military campaign that concluded with the fall of the First Republic of Venezuela in 1812.
Bolívar retired to Valencia, where he reorganized his forces against Ceballos, who had advanced to Araure prior to the incorporation of the column commanded by José Yáñez.
He was replaced on 4 June 1816 by the expeditionary leader Salvador de Moxó y Quadrado who added the governorship of Caracas to his position as Captain General of Venezuela.