Luis Aponte Martínez (August 4, 1922 – April 10, 2012) was a Puerto Rican Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of San Juan from 1965 to 1999.

On April 16, 1963, Aponte Martinez was appointed coadjutor bishop of Ponce by Pope John, to which office he succeeded on November 18, 1963, and was installed on the following February 22.

[1][2] On March 5, 1973,[1][2] Pope Paul VI made Aponte Martínez the first-ever Puerto Rican cardinal, specifically the cardinal-priest of Santa Maria della Provvidenza a Monteverde.

In 1984, Aponte helped coordinate and was among the many dignitaries who greeted Pope John Paul II, upon his visit to Puerto Rico.

Aponte died on April 10, 2012, at the Hospital Español de Auxilio Mutuo in San Juan after a long illness.

[4] Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno declared five days of official mourning for the cardinal, who died on the 62nd anniversary of his priestly ordination.