Freemasons and the Struggle for Liberty

the AZEL PERSPECTIVE Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 462 B

José Azel's latest books "On Freedom" and "Sobre La Libertad" are now available on Amazon. Freemasons and the Struggle for Liberty (Previously published) Share Tweet Forward

I must begin with a full disclosure disclaimer; I am not a Freemason, and my knowledge of Freemasonry is superficial at best. My interest, and the only topic of this article, is the oversized role that Freemasons have played in the struggle for liberty. Freemasonry is not a political party or a religion, although its beliefs have been influenced by 18th and 19th Century Deism. There is no official spokesperson or ruling body, and Freemasonry offers no eschatology or theology. And yet, Freemasonry is the world’s oldest secret society with a complicated and controversial history. What is not controversial, however, is the impressive number of noteworthy individuals throughout history that were Freemasons. I will focus only on those involved in the struggle for liberty. Many of the Founding Fathers were Masons, and some U.S. history scholars contend that Freemasonry was central to the American Revolution and that it became foundational to the U.S. government. Speculation regarding Masonic symbols includes those supposedly in the one-dollar bill, the plan layout for Washington, D.C., and many more. Let’s take a look at the Founding documents. Fifteen of the fifty-six signers (27 percent) of the Declaration of Independence were Freemasons or likely Freemasons. Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, Robert Treat Payne, Richard Stockton, George Walton, and William Whipple, were known Masons. For Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, George Read, John Penn, Thomas Nelson Jr., Lyman Hall, and Elbridge Gerry, there is evidence of membership or affiliation. When the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia in 1787, the unanimous choice for presiding officer, George Washington, and the elder statesman Benjamin Franklin were both Freemasons. In fact, 28 of the 40 signers of the Constitution (70 percent) were Masons, or thought to be Masons. Interestingly, these Founding documents were infused with the ideas of English philosopher John Locke, commonly known as the “Father of Liberalism.” Locke was a Freemason. There were 81 generals in the Continental Army, 33 of them, including Washington, were Masons (41 percent). Similar trends can be shown for the Chief and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, for Secretaries of State, etc. And, most importantly, approximately one third of U.S. Presidents have been Freemasons. South of the border we find that the struggle for liberty was also championed by Masons. Among them, Simon Bolivar, who played a key role in the establishment of Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama; Jose de San Martin, liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru; Francisco de Miranda, a military and revolutionary leader that preceded Bolivar; Antonio Nariño and Francisco de Paula Santander, ideological, military, and political leaders of the independence movement in New Granada (present day Colombia); Bernardo O’Higgins, who freed Chile from Spanish rule; and Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution. When it comes to Cuba, which gained independence nearly a century after the rest of Latin America, Masons organized (often in Masonic Lodges), and then lead the wars for independence, among them, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, Ignacio Agramonte, Perucho Figueredo, Calixto Garcia, Maximo Gomez, Antonio Maceo, and Jose Marti. As happened in the United States with General Washington, Cuba’s first President Tomas Estrada Palma was also a Freemason. While Freemasons have distinguished themselves in the struggle for freedom, they have also not escaped the ire of the enemies of freedom. Nazi Germany under Hitler, Fascist Italy and Spain under Mussolini and Franco respectively, and Marxist Soviet Union under Stalin all persecuted and banned Freemasonry. It is analytically difficult to understand, much less explain objectively, the reasons underpinning this oversized role that Freemasons have played in the struggle for liberty. However, it is likely that the Enlightenment ideas of liberty, independence, equality, and fraternity, were at play. Yet, conspiracy theorists have long claimed that Freemasonry is an organization seeking world domination or already secretly in control of world politics. I have no idea, but given my classical liberalism, and Freemasonry’s distinguished record of fighting for freedom, I could have been a Freemason. Except that, I subscribe to comedian Groucho Marx’s dictum that, “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.” Please let us know if you  this article. We welcome your feedback. Abrazos, Lily & José (click on the name to email Lily or Jose) José Azel, Ph.D. José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere.   He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Dr. Azel was a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics. In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami. José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp. They cycled St. James Way (El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary and throughout southern France.  They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast and in the Galapagos Islands. Most recently, they rafted for 17 days 220 miles in the Grand Canyon. Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them.  Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro. Books by Dr. José Azel José Azel’s writings are touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone who wishes to understand why countries do, or do not, progress will find in this book the best explanations. And, from these readings emerge numerous inferences: How and why do the good intentions of leftist collectivism lead countries to hell? Why is liberty not a sub product of prosperity, but rather one of its causes? If it was in my power, this work would be required reading for all college and university students, and I would also recommend its reading to all politicians, journalists, and policymakers. With his writings Azel accomplishes what was achieved in France by Frédéric Bastiat, and in the United States by Henry Hazlitt: Azel brings together common sense with intelligent observation, and academic substance. Stupendous, Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                                    BUY NOW Los escritos de José Azel están tocados por la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquiera que desee entender por qué los países progresan, o no, encontrará en este libro las mejores explicaciones. De estas lecturas surgen numerosas inferencias: ¿Cómo y por qué las buenas intenciones del colectivismo de izquierda llevan a los países al infierno? ¿Por qué la libertad no es un subproducto de la prosperidad, sino una de sus causas? Si estuviera en mis manos, esta obra sería de obligada lectura de todos los estudiantes universitarios, pero además, le recomendaría su lectura a todos los políticos, periodistas y policy makers. Con sus escritos Azel logra lo que Frédéric Bastiat consiguiera en Francia y Henry Hazlitt en Estados Unidos: aunar el sentido común, la observación inteligente y la enjundia académica. Estupendo. Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                            Compre Aqui "Liberty for beginners is much more than what the title promises. It is eighty themes touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone that wishes to understand why countries do, or do not progress, will find in this book the best explanations. Stupendous" Carlos Alberto Montaner Buy Now "Libertad para novatos es mucho más de lo que promete el título. Son ochenta temas tocados con la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquier adulto que desee saber por qué progresan o se estancan los pueblos aquí encontrará las mejores explicaciones. Estupendo." Carlos Alberto Montaner Compre Aqui In Reflections on Freedom, José Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles. Buy Now En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico. Compre Aqui Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future. Buy now Pedazos y Vacíos is a collection of poems written in by Dr. Azel in his youth. Poems are in Spanish.

Free Cuba Now!

On the passing of Pedro Victor Roig Hardouin, Esq. (1940- 2026)

 

"The rule of law and freedom are essential to a prosperous community.”

- Pedro V. Roig

Pedro Victor Roig Hardouin, Esq. (July 24,1940- May 13, 2026)

The Center for a Free Cuba joins the Cuban American community to express its deepest condolences to the family of Pedro Victor Roig Hardouin, a life-long fighter for freedom and democracy in Cuba.  At a young age, Roig left communist Cuba and in 1960 joined the Brigade 2506 and took part in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.

In addition to being a lawyer, Roig was a historian, educator, author, and a relentless champion of advancing human rights and individual liberties in Cuba. He earned an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of Miami and his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University.

In 2003, Pedro Roig was appointed by President George W. Bush as Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and Television Marti). He authored many publications and several books including “Death of a Dream: History of Cuba Elusive Quest for Freedom,” a comprehensive history of Cuba, as well as the “Cuban War of Independence 1895—1898.”

Roig joined the Institute of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, and followed ICCAS director, Dr. Jaime Suchlicki, to found the independent Institute for Cuban Studies when the University of Miami decided to change the nature and objectives of ICCAS in 2016. Said changes were unacceptable to both scholars, as they altered and betrayed the mission, goals and purpose of ICCAS.

Dr. Suchlicki and Dr. Roig worked together at the Institute for Cuban Studies for several years, publishing many special reports on Cuba. Mr. Roig left the Institute to return to law practice. Later he founded and chaired the Cuban Center for Strategic Studies, a research institution that investigates and documents political, economic and military issues, especially as related to Cuba.

One of his works is the series Pensando en Cuba: La República (1902-1958), a 10-session education series (in Spanish) on the history of Cuba during the first half of the 20th century, which Voces de Cuba produced in order to correct the widespread misinformation about the Cuban Republic (1902-1958). That Cuban Republic was dismantled by the Castro Revolution starting in 1959.

Pedro Roig will be greatly missed in the Cuban pro-democracy community. The Center for a Free Cuba will miss his sharp insights; we will miss him, too. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Visitation services will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Bernardo Garcia Funeral Home Kendall Chapel (12050 SW 117 Ave., Miami, FL 33186) 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church (1400 Miller Rd.), followed by the graveside service at Miami Memorial Park.

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