Havana/The Grand Lodge of Cuba continues to cross one of the worst crises in its recent history. The former great teacher of the institution, Mario Urquía Carreño, and the former great treasurer, Airam Cervera Reigosa, returned this Friday a million pesos as part of a process of restitution of stolen funds. The measure, far from closing the case, has opened a public debate about the magnitude of the embezzlement, the responsibility of the former leaders and the future of one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the country.
The return of money was carried out in the absence of Urquía and Cervera, whose judicial situation is unknown. According to a statement from the Masonic Directive, officials of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice and the National Bank of Cuba attended the ceremony. They also attended the current great teacher recognized by the authorities – although rejected by a large part of the Brotherhood -, Mayker Filema Duarte; the great secretary, Juliannis Galano Gómez; and the new great treasurer, Juan Carlos Yero Ramos. The “delivery staging” sought, as interpreted in some Masonic circles, show transparency and institutional control after months of rumors and internal tensions.
The trigger for the crisis was the theft of $ 19,000 from the former Grand Master’s office
The recovered amount represents just a fraction of the defrauded. The trigger for the crisis was the Theft of $ 19,000 of the former Grand Master’s office, money belonging to the Masonic National Asylum. To date, there is no official explanation about the whereabouts of these funds, which has increased indignation among the members of the fraternity.
In August 2024 Urquía promised to return the money. He admitted to be “responsible,” but not guilty. However, some Masons speculated on the possible diversion of that money towards their mipyme, builds Surl, dedicated to construction and located in the cast Santos Suarez.
According to internal documents and testimonies collected by independent means, Urquía and Cervero would have manipulated bank account states and falsified invoices to appropriate another 2.1 million pesos (about $ 17,600 to the official change). The investigation also revealed that they were registered as “losses” $ 2,700 that, in reality, had been stolen.
The organization expects another three million Cuban pesos to be returned in the next few days
The total number of the embezzlement rises to more than $ 40,000, according to calculations disclosed by the Gran Lodge directive itself. The organization expects another three million Cuban pesos to be returned in the next few days, although a clear schedule has not been offered or guarantees that the defendants meet that promise.
The writer and Mason Ángel Santiesteban-Prats expressed on social networks the frustration of many brothers of the Lodge. “If the fact is already consummated and proven, why do they continue on the street?” He questioned in a Facebook post. The question points to the real reach of criminal responsibilities in a case in which the State has intervened, but so far has not applied visible sanctions.
The discredit generated by the embezzlement has hit the public image of the institution, which for years was presented as a space of independence and ethical practices against the opacity of the state apparatus.
According to data provided to this newspaper by an internal source, there are currently 327 lodges in the country and a total record of 48,000 members. Of these, only about 20,000 remain within the island, which represents an exodus of more than 50% of the registered masons.
The current Masonic Directive – sown with and unknown by many members of the Fraternity – says it will continue with the fund recovery process and that it will inform its members of each step. However, doubts persist about whether Cuban justice will act with the same severity that would show in a similar case outside the Masonic field.
