José García Hernández (19 March 1915 – 5 February 2000) was a Spanish jurist and politician. He served as first deputy prime minister and interior minister of Francoist Spain from 1974 to 1975.
García was born in Guadalajara on 19 March 1915.[1] He graduated from Complutense University of Madrid receiving a degree in law.[1]
Following his graduation García joined the corps of state lawyers in 1941.[1] He worked at the treasury of Cuenca, Guadalajara, and then as a legal advisor at ministries of information and tourism and public works.[1][2] He served as civil governor of various provinces, including Lugo and Las Palmas (1941–1956).[3] He was the board chairman of Butano company.[3] He was the director general of local administration between 1951 and 1957 at the Ministry of the Interior. He was a member of Parliament.[4]
On 3 January 1974 he was appointed both first deputy prime minister and interior minister to the cabinet formed by Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro.[3] He replaced Arias as interior minister.[3] García was in office until 12 December 1975 when Manuel Fraga replaced him in both posts in a cabinet reshuffle.[5] Until 1977 he worked as an attorney at the courts which he began in 1952.[1] Following the end of his cabinet tenure he was also appointed vice president and then president of the Banco Exterior de España of which he was named as a director in 1970.[6]
García died in Madrid on 5 February 2000.[1] He was the recipient of six Grand Crosses and Gold Medals from various Spanish provinces.[1]