Cerón's legacy in the history of the island is tainted by the rivalries between Nicolas de Ovando and Christopher Columbus' son, Diego Colón.
[3] Ponce de León had just begun the conquest of Puerto Rico the previous year, and his replacement produced much dissension among the few settlers.
Ovando advocated for Ponce de León in Madrid, and the Crown conferred on him the title of Captain General and Governor of San Juan Bautista.
In 1511, however, under pressure by Colón, Cerón was posted as governor and Ponce de León left for his first adventure in Florida.
Cerón's governorship did not end well; complaints about his handling of the Repartimiento of Indians prompted the Crown to remove him and reinstall Ponce de León as governor in 1513.