Freemasonry in Latin America has a prominent presence, with many Masonic lodges and members across the region. In terms of membership, it is the most densely populated geographical area after the United States. It manifests in many different forms, and as of 2017, its overall history remains to be fully established. Nevertheless, Freemasonry is frequently referenced in the historical accounts of these countries, particularly concerning the considerable number of Freemasons who played a role in the independence movements against Spain and Portugal.

Latin America and the Caribbean represent the second-largest Masonic center in the world after the United States, significantly surpassing Europe. Its establishment mirrors its presence in Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Throughout its history, Masonry has been persecuted in much the same way by Inquisition tribunals and other prohibitions.

Latin American Freemasonry has impacted the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Masonic lodges played a pivotal role in several pivotal historical moments in the region, particularly during the countries' struggles for independence. It incorporated external influences, ultimately forming a distinctive local synthesis. The liberal and politically oriented Freemasonry, influenced by France's Grand Orient de France, became the dominant model, leaving a lasting imprint on South American lodges. A review of historical documentation from 2018 reveals that, despite variations in form and structure, Masonic lodges and their members were frequently involved in the political histories of Latin American countries. The liberal model of Freemasonry experienced a decline in the early 20th century due to the impact of World War I and the growing influence of the United States, which prompted many obediences to gravitate towards what is known as "regular Freemasonry." Some countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, historically aligned themselves with Anglo-Saxon Masonic practices.

Mexico achieved independence from the Kingdom of Spain following the conclusion of the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821). The oldest attested lodge in Mexico was established in Mexico City in 1806. The country's inaugural Grand Lodge was established in 1813, followed by the establishing of another Grand Lodge, Gran Logia Mexicana, in 1824, influenced by American Freemasonry. Subsequently, Mexican Freemasonry included numerous presidents of the Republic, such as Benito Juárez, and advocated for secular education, public freedoms, and aid for impoverished peasants from a political perspective.

Freemasonry became firmly established in Central America in the latter half of the nineteenth century, with the first Masonic lodge being established in San José, Costa Rica, on 28 June 1865. As of 2017, there is no comprehensive historical study of Freemasonry in Central America, except for research conducted on individual countries within the region. Most studies concentrate on the cases of Costa Rica and El Salvador, while those of Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras remain comparatively under-researched. These studies posit that Freemasonry constituted a pivotal force in the modernization and secularization of Central American societies. It facilitated the introduction of progressive European ideas to the region and enabled civil and social reforms, at times even preceding their implementation in Europe.

Despite a decline in the mid-20th century, Freemasonry in Central America has experienced a loss of influence in the 21st century. Membership in each Central American country is now limited to a few hundred individuals. It appears that the regional founder Francisco Calvo's ideal of a "Central American Union" spearheaded by Freemasonry has been temporarily abandoned.

The history of Freemasonry in Costa Rica commenced with the establishment of the lodge Charité (Caridad) No. 26, founded by the priest Francisco Calvo, who had undergone initiation in the Peruvian lodge Concorde Universelle. In June 1865, Calvo assumed the role of Worshipful Master for the newly established lodge. The lodge was officially constituted on 28 June 1865, with a charter from the Grand Orient and Supreme Neo-Cartaginian Council of Cartagena, Colombia. This Masonic obedience was founded in 1833 and recognized by the Grand Orient de France in 1851. The lodge's founders included doctors, merchants, and clergy—foreigners to Costa Rica who had been initiated in lodges abroad.

The lodge played a pivotal role in the initiation of several prominent Costa Rican political and economic figures, including President José María Castro Madriz, Foreign Minister Julián Volio, and the governor of San José, José Antonio Pinto. Nevertheless, this activism prompted a response from Bishop Llorente, who issued a cautionary statement in 1866 against Freemasonry as a potential societal threat, reiterating the Catholic Church's prohibitions. While President José María Castro Madriz intervened to defuse the situation, the Church and the Catholic press persisted in denouncing Freemasonry, liberalism, and Protestantism as dangerous sects.