Ángel Santiesteban-Prats, the Venerable Master of the Caballeros del Sol Lodge, was detained in Havana ahead of a scheduled meeting between Cuban masons and Caridad Diego, head of the Office for Attention to Fraternal and Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.
The meeting, set for 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, was intended to address the state's interference in the internal affairs of Cuban lodges and to reach an agreement regarding the expulsion of the regime-imposed Grand Master, Mario Urquía. Camila Acosta, a journalist for the independent digital site Cubanet who was covering the event, reported the incident on her social media.
"Ángel Santiesteban-Prats must be at that meeting because he is the Venerable Master of the Caballeros del Sol lodge, the highest authority of his lodge. But he has just been arbitrarily detained," Acosta wrote on her Facebook profile.
Acosta recalled that the Masonic leader was detained exactly a week ago, "without any judicial order," because the repressive organs of the regime wanted to "talk and warn him that they did not want any 'scandal' nor for the masons to resort to the independent press to expose their problems."
The journalist warned that "it is the State Security, by meddling, trying to manipulate the masons and impose a Grand Master that responds to their interests, that has turned this into a political issue."
She also mentioned that "the Venerable Masters summoned by Caridad Diego should not accept that meeting while one of their brothers remains kidnapped and missing. It is the most honorable and dignified thing they could do."
Masonic Protests Against Government Interference
Last week, in an unprecedented event in the history of Cuban Freemasonry, dozens of brothers gathered at the Grand Lodge of Cuba to protest the reinstatement of Mario Urquía Carreño as Grand Master of the Order by the Ministry of Justice.
Urquía Carreño, who was removed from his duties earlier this year by the masons themselves following the disappearance of $19,000 from the National Masonic Asylum, appealed to the regime's judicial authorities, who decided to reinstate him.
The protest led the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS) of Cuba to reluctantly agree to allow the Grand Masonic Lodge to hold elections to choose a new Grand Master.
According to a statement shared by the state-run Agencia Cubana de Noticias, a "thorough evaluation of decisions" was conducted by the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Republic of Cuba and the Grand Lodge of Cuba on issues related to sanctions against members of the Masonic bodies and the election of their leaders.
The MINJUS concluded that there were "irregularities due to non-compliance with their internal statutes."
However, four days after these events, four Masonic lodges on the island were suspended for refusing to recognize Urquía Carreño's leadership. The suspended lodges are Evolución from Artemisa and the Havana lodges General Guillermo Moncada, Luz de Marianao, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. The suspension will last until the next session of the High Chamber, as Urquía considers that they are violating the laws, the Masonic Constitution, and the Ancient Landmarks of Masonry.
Key Questions on Masonic Leadership Crisis in Cuba
Here are some critical questions and answers regarding the recent detainment of Ángel Santiesteban-Prats and the ongoing masonic leadership crisis in Cuba.
Why was Ángel Santiesteban-Prats detained?
Ángel Santiesteban-Prats was detained by the regime's repressive organs to prevent him from attending the scheduled meeting and to warn against creating any "scandal" or exposing issues to the independent press.
What was the purpose of the meeting with Caridad Diego?
The meeting aimed to discuss state interference in the internal affairs of Cuban lodges and to address the expulsion of the Grand Master imposed by the regime, Mario Urquía.
What led to the protests at the Grand Lodge of Cuba?
The protests were triggered by the Ministry of Justice's decision to reinstate Mario Urquía Carreño as Grand Master, despite his earlier removal by the masons following the disappearance of $19,000 from the National Masonic Asylum.