Eloy Alfaro was an Ecuadorian liberator and President of the country from 1906-11. His Lodge is unknown, but his Masonic status is not in doubt: his anti-Masonic successor as President had him imprisoned and ultimately killed for being a Freemason! Following his presidential term, Brother Alfaro lived in Panama in exile. While there, he imported toquilla hats from Ecuador and sold them to finance his revolution. The hats were immensely popular and since they came from Panama, were assumed to have originated there. Named to reflect that fact, "Panama hats" were introduced to the world by Brother Eloy Alfaro, and they actually come from Ecuador.
