José María Cantú was the interim governor of the Mexican state Coahuila and Texas in 1835 and mayor of Monclova in 1839.
However, he only held his governorship until the 24th of the same month, when he signed a decree that allowed the State Executive to sell large portions of land.
The purpose of the sale was to obtain the capital necessary to solve the economic shortage in which public funds were found at that time.
However, Cantú's decision was rejected by the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Internal States, Martín Perfecto de Cos.
For that reason, Cantú resigned from his position as governor, being replaced by Ramón Muzquiz.