14ymedio, Havana, 25 March 2024 — The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño, has been expelled by the representatives of more than 300 lodges on the Island to the cry of “Out with the thief, usurper, scoundrel, traitor!” The event took place on Sunday, when Urquía, who continues to hold the position after the controversial theft of $19,000 from his office, was preparing to preside over the biannual session of the Masonic Upper Chamber.
The information, reported by CubaNet, was confirmed to 14ymedio this Monday by Ángel Santiesteban, an independent journalist who is a 33rd grade Mason – the highest step in the hierarchy of the order – who could not attend the event but knows the facts. In his opinion, whoever succeeds the Grand Master – predictably the Deputy Grand Master, Gerardo Cepero Díaz, a critic of Urquía – will stop the interference of State Security in the lodge, something that leaves room for optimism.
The Freemasons considered that Urquía was illegally carrying out the position, since on January 25 he was expelled by the Supreme Council of Grade 33 for the Republic of Cuba for his alleged “betrayal.”
“That had never happened in Cuban Freemasonry, not the painful aftermath of the robbery, nor the blatant interference of State Security and the expulsion of an acting Grand Master
A witness to what happened this Sunday told CubaNet that the Grand Master refused to leave the room, but he had to do so due to the almost unanimous demand of the representatives of the lodges. “There was a lot of indignation accumulated over the actions of the Grand Master. He came out saying that he woul
