Filema Duarte had been unanimously dismissed last May.
Havana, Cuba. – In an unexpected turn of the events, during the semiannual session of the High Masonic Chamber developed this Sunday, the Grand Master (GM) by regulatory replacement of the Grand Lodge of Cuba (GLC), Juan Alberto Kessel Linares, proposed to dismiss the dismissal of the great teacher Mayker Filma Duarte – approved unanimously – and accept that he presided over the session convened for the end of October.
Although by a minority of lodge representatives of the country, the proposal was accepted. In this way, the Masons give to the pressures of the Ministry of Justice (Minjus) and the State Security Agents. The first, refused to recognize the dismissal of Filema Duarte and the latter have implemented a persecution against those who have tried to recover their autonomy and legality.
“With this step, the suspensions of lodges and masons ordered by Filema Duarte have just been recognized and they are at the mercy of what he decides. They expect him to make general elections on October 25, something that he has not mentioned anywhere in his session proposal. This is dangerous, in addition to naive State, who wants to control Masonry and put leaders who respond to their interests, ”he said to Cubanet The Mason Sergio Vidal.
This media also talked with several witnesses of what happened this Sunday who requested to protect their identity and reported that the assistance was not as massive as in previous sessions or had trouble entering the building – as it did happen on July 6, when A great protest took place-, although they had to gather, standing, on the outskirts of the theater. They also said that a large number of Masons left for the outrageous of Kessel Linares’s proposal.
“This went down”, “Masonry ended in Cuba”, “Kessel agreed, betrayed”, “it was preferable to close the lodges before delivering them,” were some of the reactions that this medium collected among the interviewees.
“The regime has weapons”
In March of this year, Filema Duarte refused to make the general elections for high positions and left the session. For this reason, the Masons autoconvocated for an extraordinary session developed on May 25 and in which they agreed to dismiss it as GM. Despite this, the Minjus continued to support it. The Masons tried, in vain, to appeal to the legality and even denounce the interference of the Minjus at a press conference.
Filema Duarte suspended the lodges and the masons that were opposed; Some developed a Masonic trial and expelled them from the fraternity, such as the Sovereign Great Commander José Ramón Viñas Alonso and the writer and political expreasing Ángel Santiesteban Prats, both objectives of the Political Police.
During the last six months, the GLC was divided: a few have supported Filema Duarte, who has occupied the GM building and office, while most lodges have not recognized him and has protected Kessel Linares.
The tensions resulted in a protest in the GLC building in the month of July in which the Masons prevented Filema Duart from making a “spurious” meeting with some of their supporters. Even the Minister of Justice appeared before national television to affirm that the government institution was not being entrusting into the internal affairs of the order.
Meanwhile, the state security harassed insurgent leaders: Kessel Linares was summoned at least three occasions, he underwent home imprisonment and threatened to go to prison; Gerardo Cepero was questioned several times; And the great secretary of the Grand Lodge, Víctor Bravo, was pressed until three days before this Sunday’s session resigned and called not to attend that session because it would be, he said, “in vain.”
Last week, Kessel Linares again communicated that the Minjus ignored his claims and that Miriam García, director of associations of that portfolio, warned her that they would not recognize, once again, the agreements of the High Chamber (Legislative Power) that he represented. Despite this, the Mason convened the session in which he finally gave to the pressures.
“This was known because the regime has weapons,” said a Mason on condition of anonymity. “But the important thing is that Cuban Freemasonry has awakened from a long lethargy and still has much to demonstrate,” he added.
Another of the sources said that “this struggle” has had major connotations despite the outcome: “During all this time we have had those to lose, but it is not always about winning but to give war; and the Cuban masons have opened their eyes: everything we have lived has served us as an experience. The regime has had us infiltrated for decades, but now the agents have exposed themsel yielding. This fight is not over. ”
On October 25, according to the call of Mayker Filema Duarte, the Masons must meet in the GLC building to give continuity to the March session. Some hope that he will develop general elections, although he has not summoned them; Others are not so optimistic and point out that they will try to strengthen their dictatorship.
