Raymundo Cámara Luján

Raymundo Cámara Luján (May 14, 1850 – April 15, 1919) was a prominent Mexican entrepreneur, banker, landowner, and philanthropist who played a significant role in the economic expansion that the Yucatán Peninsula experienced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Cámara owned numerous haciendas and excelled in agricultural activities, particularly in the production of henequen and sugarcane. In partnership with José María Ponce Solís, he founded an exporting company that became one of the main henequen traders, and he also ventured into the financial sector by providing loans to henequen producers and entrepreneurs from other industries. His business interests spanned various sectors, including railways, banking, breweries, and the exploitation of various raw materials such as chewing gum, tobacco, cocoa, cotton, bananas, vanilla, and forest resources.

Cámara was renowned for his progressive labor practices, exemplified by implementing reforms like establishing a minimum wage, an 8-hour workday, worker mobility, rural schools, and the right to unionize. Motivated by his Catholic beliefs and driven by pragmatism, he sought to treat his workers with respect while also boosting productivity and profitability. Despite facing criticism over the perceived costliness of the reforms, Cámara's efforts proved successful, significantly improving the lives of numerous workers in Yucatán. Notably, his children Nicolás and Alfredo Cámara Vales achieved prominent political careers as Governors of Yucatán and Quintana Roo, respectively, while his son-in-law, José María Pino Suárez, served as Vice President of Mexico.