Editing Benito Juárez (section)

===Freemasonry===
[[File:"La República Peregrina" 2a Sección.png|thumb|right|Fragment of the mural "The Pilgrim Republic" by [[Antonio González Orozco]] (Chihuahua, México, 2016)]]

Juárez was initiated into Freemasonry in the York Rite in Oaxaca. He then moved to the [[National Mexican Rite]], where he ascended to the highest degree, the ninth, which is equivalent to the 33rd degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The York Rite was of more liberal and republican ideas with respect to the Scottish Rite that also existed in Mexico, which was of centralist political ideas. The National Mexican Rite emerged from a group of Yorkist Masons and another group of Scottish Masons whose common objective was to gain independence from foreigners and promote a nationalist mentality.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Benito Juárez, el admirado y denostado primer presidente indígena de México (y qué papel jugó en la modernización) |language=es |work=BBC News Mundo |url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-62171102 |access-date=2022-07-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-29 |title=Masonería, una sociedad secreta en México |url=https://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/masoneria-una-sociedad-secreta-en-mexico.html |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=México Desconocido |language=es}}</ref>

Juárez was fervent in Masonic practice. His name is held in veneration in many rites. Many lodges and philosophical bodies have adopted him as a sacred symbol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BENITO JUÁREZ Y EL PENSAMIENTO MASÓNICO |url=http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/benito_Juárez_masoneria.html |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=www.freemasons-freemasonry.com }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Losser |first=Sheryl |date=2022-06-08 |title=Is Freemasonry's role in Mexican history a secret in plain sight? |url=https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/freemasonry-mexican-history-secret-plain-sight/ |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=Mexico News Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fernando Reyes {{!}} El Heraldo de Chihuahua |title=Conmemoran masones el natalicio de Benito Juárez |url=https://www.elheraldodechihuahua.com.mx/local/chihuahua/conmemoran-masones-el-natalicio-de-benito-Juárez-8021459.html |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=El Heraldo de Chihuahua {{!}} Noticias Locales, Policiacas, de México, Chihuahua y el Mundo |language=es}}</ref>

Juárez's initiation ceremony was attended by distinguished Masons, such as Manuel Crescencio Rejon, author of the Yucatán Constitution of 1840; Valentín Gómez Farías, President of Mexico; Pedro Zubieta, General Commander in the Federal District and the State of Mexico; Congressman Fernando Ortega; Congressman Tiburcio Cañas; Congressman Francisco Banuet; Congressman Agustin Buenrostro; Congressman Joaquin Navarro and Congressman Miguel Lerdo de Tejada. After the proclamation, the apprentice mason Juárez adopted the symbolic name of [[William Tell|Guillermo Tell]], 14th century Swiss folk hero.<ref>{{Cite web |title=¿Benito Juárez era masón? Esto responde AMLO |url=https://www.publimetro.com.mx/nacional/2022/05/09/benito-Juárez-era-mason-esto-responde-amlo/ |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=Publimetro México |date=9 May 2022 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=17 datos de Benito Juárez que no te enseñan en la escuela |url=https://politica.expansion.mx/mexico/2022/03/16/datos-biografia-benito-Juárez |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=ADNPolítico |language=es}}</ref>