The history of Freemasonry in Mexico can be traced to at least 1806, when the first Masonic lodge was formally established in the nation. Many presidents of Mexico were Freemasons, and the movement greatly influenced political actions in the early republic, as holders of conservative ideas gathered in lodges of the Scottish Rite, while reformists chose the York Rite. Hence, escoceses became synonymous with Conservatives and yorkinos with Liberals. Antonio López de Santa Anna was a Scottish Rite Mason.Santa Anna's Masonic Membership Confirmed March 29, 2016.
History Freemasonry arrived in colonial Mexico during the second half of the 18th century, brought by French immigrants who settled in the capital. However, they were condemned by the local Inquisition and forced to desist. It is probable, though no written evidence exists, that there were itinerant lodges in the Spanish army in New Spain. Freemasons may even have been able to participate in the first autonomist movements, then for independence, conveying the ideas of enlightenment in the late 18th century. Some historians, both Freemasons and non-Freemasons, including Leon Zeldis Mendel and José Antonio Ferrer Benimeli have emphasized that Freemasonry in Latin America had built its own mythology, well away from what history records.(1997) León Zeldis, Las canteras masónicas, Madrid. The distinction between Patriotic Latin American Societies and Masonic lodges is tenuous. Between the late 18th and early 19th century, their operative structure was very similar, as is indicated by the historian Virginia Guedea.(1992) Virginia Guedea, En busca de un gobierno alterno. Los "Guadalupes" de México, México
The first Masonic Lodge of Mexico, Arquitectura Moral, was founded in 1806. The year 1813 saw the creation of the first Grand Lodge of Mexico, the Scottish Rite.Naudon 1987, p. 201
Jose Maria Mateos, a leading liberal politician of the late 19th century, stated in 1884 that some illustrious autonomists and independentists, such as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos and Ignacio Allende, were Freemasons. According to Mateos, they were, for the most part, initiated into the lodge Arquitectura Moral (now Bolivar No. 73), but it is true that there are no documents to prove his point. However, some documents suggest that the first Governor of independent Mexico, the emperor Agustín de Iturbide, and the Dominican friar Servando Teresa de Mier, were both Freemasons. But it is true that it was common for the Inquisition to use the charge of belonging to Freemasonry in order to attack autonomists and independence leaders, which guarantees the impossibility of proving the innocence of the accused, due to the clandestine nature of the Orders. Thus, the archives of the Inquisition do not eliminate the uncertainties on this subject.
From independence in 1821 until 1982, it is believed that many Mexican leaders belonged to Freemasonry. When political independence came about, the few existing lodges came out of hiding and multiplied. With the arrival of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States Joel Roberts Poinsett, the young Mexican Freemasonry was divided into two political movements, without really being defined. Poinsett promoted the creation of the Lodge of York Rite, close to the interests of the United States. Meanwhile, conservative Freemasons of the Scottish Lodge of the young Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, headed by the physician of the last viceroy from Barcelona, Manuel Codorniu, manifested their opposition to the realization of the interventionist theory Manifest Destiny in the newspaper "El Sol". Thus, Freemasons who supported American-style liberalism met around the lodges of the York Rite, while Freemasons who would be seen as "conservatives" remained close to the Scottish lodges, although they considered themselves heirs of Spanish liberalism. Soon, those Freemasons who did not identify with the existing alternatives would choose a third way in founding in 1825 a national rite called the National Mexican Rite, which would aim to create a political model for, and a clean government in, Mexico.Lillian Estelle Fisher, "Early Masonry in Mexico (1806-1828)." Southwestern Historical Quarterly 42.3 (1939): 198-214. onlineWatson Smith, "Influences from the United States on the Mexican Constitution of 1824." Arizona and the West 4.2 (1962): 113-126.
During the French military occupation that placed Maximilian I of Mexico on the throne in 1864, various French military lodges, dependent on the Grand Orient de France, arrived in Mexico, but disappeared when the French left the country. Thus, it is very likely that these Itinerant Lodges of the French Rite, due to their status as being perceived as invaders, left no influences of ritual. At the museum of Masonic Grand Orient of France, one banner of one of those lodges is preserved.
During the nineteenth century Freemasonry was being heralded as a means of removing the influences of the Catholic Church. Several of the men who were masons had expressed a desire to free women from the church's grasp through education, and they approached Laureana Wright de Kleinhans to help spread freemasonry. Though she was totally committed to the education of women, she ultimately rejected the organization because they refused to acknowledge the equality of men and women and in fact had an initiation oath which declared "never admit to their ranks a blind man, a madman, or a woman".
According to historian Karen Racine, Freemasons in the presidency of Mexico included: Guadalupe Victoria, Valentín Gómez Farías, Antonio López de Santa Anna, Benito Juárez, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada, Porfirio Díaz, Francisco I. Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Plutarco Elías Calles, Lázaro Cárdenas, Emilio Portes Gil, Pascual Ortiz Rubio, Abelardo L. Rodríguez, Miguel Alemán Valdés Karen Racine, "Freemasonry" in Michael S. Werner, ed. Encyclopedia of Mexico (1997) p. 1:540. and Adolfo Lopez Mateos.
Major Rites
National Mexican Rite The National Mexican Rite is a rite of Freemasonry founded in Mexico in about 1834. The rite consists of six further degrees after the degree of Master Mason. They are fourth degree (Approved Master), fifth-degree (Knight of the Secret), sixth-degree (Knight of the Mexican Eagle), seventh-degree (Perfect Architect), eighth degree (Grand Judge), and ninth degree (Grand Inspector General). The rituals of the degrees were largely adapted from the Scottish Rite.
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
The Supreme Council of Mexico was founded in the year 1860, when Charles Laffon de Ladebat 33º, Active Member and Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Supreme Council of the United States, Southern Jurisdiction, arrived at the Port of Veracruz with the mission of establishing a Supreme Council. Brother Charles Laffon, together with liberal Masons residing in the port, founded the Supreme Council of Mexico, establishing the only Supreme Council in the country that is regular and internationally recognized.
Years later, the Supreme Council of Mexico was established in Mexico City, on Donceles Street, electing as Sovereign Grand Commander the former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Valle de México, James C. Lohse. Thus, for several years, the Supreme Council of Mexico shared its headquarters with the Grand Lodge Valle de México.
From that moment on, the Supreme Council of Mexico has become the most important Masonic organization in the country. It is composed of Masons who have attained the 33rd Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR), and its principal function is to administer and regulate the practice of Degrees 4 through 33. It is also responsible for granting charters to the philosophical bodies of the AASR in the country, being the only authority authorized to create new Valleys and Camps.
In addition to its role as the governing body of the AASR in Mexico, the Supreme Council of Mexico is also a strong advocate for Masonic values such as liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Supreme Council of Mexico promotes the ongoing education and formation of Masons throughout the country and works to foster dialogue and unity among the various Masonic lodges in Mexico.
York Rite The York Rite bodies in Mexico are integrated into two bodies that practice Royal Arch Masonry as recognized internationally:
The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Mexico (Gran Capítulo de Masones del Real Arco de México) The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States of Mexico (Gran Capítulo de Masones del Real Arco de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos)
The next degree-conferring bodies are:
The Grand Council of Cryptic Masons Of México The Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Valiente y Magnánima Orden del Temple de México
The York Rite bodies have a horizontal structure, as opposed to the vertical Scottish Rite where the philosophical degrees commence with the 4th to the 33rd degree. However, entrance has always been through the Royal Arch degrees, which enable all Master Masons who have taken the Royal Arch degrees to continue their path in search of further light in Masonry with the Cryptic and Commandery degrees. These last two degrees can be chosen separately and in no particular order.
In Mexico the Regular York Rite bodies with international recognition are the Royal Arch Chapters, the Councils of Cryptic Masons and The Grand Commanderies of the Knights Templar.
As a result, the General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons International only supports and acknowledges two Royal Arch Grand Chapters in Mexico:
The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch of Mexico (Gran Capítulo de Masones del Real Arco de México).
Located in CDMX, and presided (2023–2026) by:
M.E.C. Dan Tartakovsky Olechnowicz as Grand High Priest; M.E.C. Alejandro Hernández as Grand King; M.E.C. José Julian Cholula Muñoz as Grand Scribe; M.E.C. Jesús Isaac Medel Robledo as Grand Secretary; M.E.C. Guillermo Leyva Aceves as Grand Treasurer.
The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Mexico have next constituent chapters:
Michoacán (Mich) No. 1 Tijuana (BC) No. 7 Mexicali (BC) No. 8 Caballeros del Real Arco (CDMX) No. 9 Tetelictic (Pue) No. 10 Green Dragon (CDMX) No. 12 San Luis Potosí (SLP) No. 17 Génesis 1:28 (SLP) No. 18 Constructores del Tabernáculo (NL) No. 19 Coahuila (Coahuila) No. 22 Annubis (BC) No. 25
The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States of Mexico (Gran Capítulo de Masones del Real Arco de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos)
Located in the city of Guadalajara, state of Jalisco, and presided (2014–16) by:
M.E.C. Juan Ramón Negrete Marín as Grand High Priest; M.E.C. Christian Martinez Sandoval as Grand King; M.E.C. Mario Tanús Herrera as Grand Scribe; M.E.C. Joaquín Vega Antúnez as Grand Secretary; M.E.C. Ricardo Preciado Ploneda as Grand Treasurer.
Both Grand Chapters have Ambassadors as appointed by the General Grand Chapter:
Grand Chapter of Mexico - Ambassador - Ricardo Preciado Ploneda Grand Chapter of the USM - Ambassador - Ricardo Preciado Ploneda
The Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of México Located in the city of Guadalajara, state of Jalisco
The Grand Commandery of Knightsof Valiente y Magnánima Orden del Temple de México Located in CDMX, and Presided (2025–2026) by:
SK Eliseo Neri Morales as Eminent Grand Commander; SK Fernando Franco Zaragoza Deputy Grand Commander; SK Alejandro Cortes Ramírez as Grand Generalissimo; SK Jesús Ramón Olvera Pale as Grand Captain General; SK Amado Ovidio Gil Siqueiros as Grand Recorder; SK Guillermo Layva Aceves as Grand Treasurer; SK Luis Eduardo Luna Arredondo as Past Grand Commander (2023-2025); SK Jaime Lovera Centeno as Past Grand Commander (2021-2023); SK Omar Ali Guzmán as Past Grand Commander (2019-2021); SK Augusto Rodrigo Cervantes Gutiérrez as Past Grand Commander (2017-2019); SK Marco Enrique Rosales Gutierrez as Past Grand Commander (2011-2017);