The Mas Family
The Family
The Mas family's arc compresses the whole trajectory of Cuban Miami. Jorge Mas Canosa arrived as a young exile, built the construction and engineering firm that became MasTec, and founded the Cuban American National Foundation in 1981, becoming the most powerful exile lobbyist in the country. The family combined commercial success with political influence at the highest level.
The next generation carried it forward and pivoted. Jorge Mas, his son, leads the family's business interests and, with brother Jose and David Beckham, co-owns Inter Miami CF — the club that signed Lionel Messi in 2023 and is building Miami Freedom Park. The family that began in exile politics now anchors the city's global sports identity.
Why They Matter
The Mas family is a generational map of Cuban Miami's evolution: from the exile's political fervor, through business empire-building, to the confident, globally facing Miami of the Messi era. Few families illustrate so cleanly how the exile community moved from a government-in-waiting to the commanding heights of the city's economy and culture.
Where You See Them Today
MasTec is a major infrastructure company; Inter Miami and the rising Miami Freedom Park are the family's most visible current project; and the CANF that Mas Canosa founded endures. The family remains a defining force in Miami business, politics, and now sport.
Further Reading
- Ann Louise Bardach, Cuba Confidential
- Reporting on Inter Miami and the Mas family
Neighborhoods: Little Havana · Coral Gables Eras: The First Cuban Exile Wave · The Messi Era Movements: The Cuban Exile Wave Related people: Jorge Mas Canosa · Jorge Mas · David Beckham