Benito Pablo Juarez (1806-1872)Mexican patriot and president. He was born on March 21, 1806 in San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca, Mexico. His parents were pure Indian and died when he was years old. He was reared by an uncle and received a good education. In February of 1847, Juarez was elected Vice President of the Grand Lodge, The Light=; In 1854, after being proclaimed the Plan of Ayutla, the Mexican National Rite conferred upon him the 7th Degree, and in 1871 he received the Diploma of Grand Inspector General of The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Spain. He was also declared Honorary Member of The Grand Consistory of France. Mexico today celebrates their independence from France thru the leadership of Mason Benito Pablo Juarez. He entered the Celestial Lodge on July 18, 1872.

OJINAGA, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO Ojinaga Mayor Miguel Carreon Rohana led the ceremony celebrating the 208th anniversary of the birth of Benito Juarez by standing as guard of honor accompanied by members of his cabinet. Federal and state institutions and representatives of the two Masonic lodges in this municipality also laid wreaths and mounted a guard of honor at the monument of the Father of the Americas.

In 1861 the liberal Mason and Mexican Benito Juarez became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III (1808-1873), decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juarez and his government into retreat.