José Ponciano Arriaga Mejía (1811–1865) was a lawyer and radical liberal politician from the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí.

Arriaga rose to prominence in the late 1840s and is particularly known for pushing for the equality of people through property rights.

Later in his career, Arriaga proposed landowners who possessed more than 15 square leagues, had to begin cultivating their land or forfeit it.

[2] Ponciano Arriaga has served in multiple political positions including:[2][3] Arriaga, in his position as First Minister of the Interior, participated in writing the first draft of the 1857 Mexican constitution, later earning him the title of "Father of the 1857 constitution.

Arriaga is entombed in the Mexican National Rotunda (Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres).