This 2025, UFM is commemorating the centennial of the birth of Manuel F. Ayau Cordón, who, along with others, founded Universidad Francisco Marroquín and served as its first president.

Manuel F. Ayau, a visionary and tireless leader, founded Universidad Francisco Marroquín (UFM) driven by a profound desire to build and rebuild a more prosperous Guatemala. He firmly believed in the transformative power of classical liberal ideas: the free market, private property, and individual liberty. For Muso, these principles were not only the key to economic progress but also the means to empower each person to reach their full potential through personal effort and self-improvement.

Convinced that freedom is the path to prosperity, Muso dedicated his life to spreading these principles, believing that a truly free society allows individuals to forge their own destinies. In honor of his legacy and his unwavering faith in the power of ideas, the Manuel F. Ayau Society was created—an initiative aimed at preserving and continuing his legacy.

The Manuel F. Ayau Society not only educates but also inspires future professionals to go out into the world equipped with free-market principles, confident that freedom offers the tools to transform their environment and build a more just and prosperous society. In this way, Muso’s legacy lives on.