When in Guatemala for the 2006 MPS meeting, I had the extraordinary privilege of being taken on a private tour of UFM by Muso. Every place on the university campus had a story and a message that he conveyed with a charm and with a significance, moral and human, that were simply breathtaking. His joy at the library of liberty to which students now had access; his warm recollection of seemingly every student---past and present; and, above all else, his boundless and profound enthusiasm---one should say love---for a free and voluntary society of human liberty and enterprise made the deepest imaginable impression on me. He radiated confidence in what human beings, thinking and living coherently, could be and do. He was truly singular, and the world is a poorer place without him.
I just recently learned of Muso
His legacy for liberty, in part through the nurturing of UFM and activities with Liberty Fund and the Mont Pelerin Society, leaves an important impact on the lives and unfolding opportunities for many people. He led a principled life that touched many people in many ways that have borne fruit, and will continue to be fruitful.
Boyish in his enthusiasm for ideas, seemingly indefatigable in his pursuits, Muso leaves a legacy that exceeds great fortunes or sprawling empires. His vision of a freer, better world was realized, let us be sure to note. Countless minds have been expanded, and lives enriched, due to his dedication to the ideals of liberty. I am lucky to count myself in these numbers, and to have enjoyed the warmth generated in chatting with my Guatemalan friend on economics, education, and how markets for radio spectrum might enhance economies and democracies. His great family, whose sorrow is felt the world around, were a prize to him. That that family now includes his beloved UFM is a tribute to them all. This august institution embeds the wisdom of its founder, and the passion he uniquely brought. Muso long ago saw to it that the Universidad Francisco Marroquin take root in fertile soil, and the next generation is even now producing flowers to make him proud.
As with many others, Muso was many things to me. He was a close, personal friend who opened his home to me and allowed me to share his joys of being with his beloved family. All who knew him recognize that he was an intellectual giant that inspired us all with his great humility & superb wit. His exceptional gift in communicating with others allowed many people to learn about the free society that he so cherished. Thinking back over many years of first attending meetings of the Mont Pelerin Society,I have vivid memories of the deep respect shown to him by people far wiser than I might ever hope to be.I also knew him as a fierce competitor on the tennis court. Despite spotting me a few decades, he would easily thrash me while trotting to the sidelines occasionally to take a huge gulp of oxygen from a tank he kept close at hand! It is hard to imagine those wonderful Monday lunches at the office of CEES that Don Muso will no longer hold court & command the admiration & awe of all the others.Like his many friends & his adoring family, I can celebrate the joy in knowing a truly great man even while mourning his passing.Adieu, Don Manuel....