The Cuban Freemasons have officially appointed Mayker Filema Duarte as the new Grand Master. Duarte had been serving temporarily since August following the resignation of Mario Urquía Carreño, marking what appears to be the end of a months-long crisis within the institution.
The election took place on Friday, September 20, during the annual and semi-annual sessions of Cuba's Supreme Masonic Chamber. According to the independent outlet DIARIO DE CUBA, which gathered testimonies from various lodges present at the meetings under anonymity, updated details were provided regarding the latest complaint by the Grand Lodge of Cuba against former Grand Master Urquía Carreño and former Grand Treasurer Airam Cervera Reigosa for allegedly embezzling millions of pesos.
One attendee explained that, adhering to Masonic secrecy, he could not disclose session details but shared public information, "such as the fact that the annual session of the Supreme Chamber was held again after the previous one was annulled by the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS) in clear interference in Masonic affairs."
New Leadership Amidst Crisis
This Mason confirmed that "the semi-annual session of the Most Serene Supreme Chamber was also held on the same day, during which Mayker Filema Duarte, who had been the temporary Grand Master, was elected as the new Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, succeeding the corrupt Mario Urquía."
"I am very pleased that the Cuban Freemasonry resolved its internal crisis with dignity, despite the interference of the Ministry of Justice and State Security," another Masonic workshop representative revealed.
Allegations of Embezzlement
The same source added, "we already knew that Urquía was stealing, but the reports presented during the session were astonishing: Urquía and his accomplice, former Grand Treasurer Airam Cervera, embezzled nearly five million pesos from the Grand Lodge."
Earlier this month, in his role as temporary Grand Master, Filema Duarte had reported another alleged theft of two million Cuban pesos (CUP) that occurred during Urquía Carreño's tenure, during which an additional $19,000 went missing, a fact disclosed at the start of the year.
According to Special Circular No. 127, sent to Cuban lodges on September 6 and signed by Grand Master Filema Duarte—a document accessed by Cubanet—at least 2,116,555 pesos and 33 cents were illegally withdrawn from the Grand Lodge's accounts between January and August 2024.
Legal Actions and Consequences
The discovery was made after Grand Master Filema Duarte ordered a financial audit, revealing that Cervera had transferred funds from the Grand Lodge to his personal bank account. Following this revelation, Filema Duarte suspended Cervera's Masonic rights and sent him to the Masonic Supreme Court for prosecution.
Days later, Urquía Carreño was arrested by Cuban police on charges of fraud against the Grand Lodge of Cuba, in collaboration with former Grand Treasurer Cervera Reigosa. Urquía Carreño had been embroiled in controversy for months due to the loss of significant sums of money during his administration.
Urquía initially reported the first theft as a "disappearance of money from his office" on April 1. He was detained and promised to return the money within three months but failed to meet the deadline, and the Cuban Prosecutor's Office took no action against him. Despite his resignation around that time, the government reinstated him as Grand Master, sparking heated debates, criticisms, and internal turmoil within the institution, culminating in Urquía's final resignation in August.
Currently, both Urquía and Cervera are barred from leaving the island amid suspicions that they might attempt to flee abroad with the stolen funds.