Cuban Regime Installs New Masonic Leader, Threatens to Freeze Bank Accounts

In a fresh instance of state interference in civil organizations, Cuba's Ministry of Justice has mandated the replacement of José Ramón Viñas, the current leader of the Supreme Council for the 33rd Degree of Freemasonry, with Lázaro Cuesta Valdés, a babalawo and seasoned mason closely linked to the regime. This decision, which has sparked significant controversy within the Masonic community, was conveyed through a letter dated May 27 from the Ministry's Directorate of Associations, as reported by the independent portal 14 y Medio.

The letter nullifies the reelection of Viñas, who has been a thorn in the side of the government due to his critical stance and independence, and suggests Cuesta as his successor, along with a threat to freeze Masonic funds if this change is not accepted. Viñas, a long-standing target of State Security surveillance, has been at the heart of the crisis that has shaken Cuban Masonry since January 2024.

It was Viñas who exposed the theft of $19,000 from the Grand Lodge of Cuba and accused former leader Mario Urquía Carreño of covering up the embezzlement and allowing government agents to infiltrate the order. The imposition of Cuesta as Commander of the Supreme Council was accompanied by threats from the Ministry of Justice: if the masons refuse to accept this appointment, they will lose official recognition as an association and their bank accounts will be frozen.

For many within the brotherhood, Cuesta's appointment, who also leads the Miguel Febles Commission of independent Yorubas and has been criticized for his closeness to the Ministry of the Interior, symbolizes the institutionalization of government meddling in one of the few remaining autonomous civil organizations in the country.

On social media, Masonic members have accused Cuesta of being "a man of the regime" and "an active agent of MININT since 1990," questioning his legitimacy and commitment to the fraternity's principles. He has also been linked to corrupt practices and collusion with official structures, as evidenced by his growing alignment with the Yoruba Cultural Association.

Independent writer and journalist Ángel Santiesteban, who was recently expelled from the Grand Lodge, has denounced what he sees as an operation orchestrated by State Security. He recalled that the past two years have been marked by scandals, internal excommunications, agent infiltrations, and elections not recognized by the authorities. Santiesteban demands respect for internal processes, including the recent appointments of Alberto Kessel as Grand Master and Viñas as Commander of the Supreme Council.

"We hope for the rescue of the Grand Lodge, whether the totalitarian regime likes it or not. It attempts to destabilize the Supreme Council with lies and law distortions, meddling in internal affairs that are not their concern. The Masonic membership is united. We all want the same thing: to live our Masonic life without external intrusions. And in this fight, we remain engaged until we achieve the freedom that Masonry needs as dictated by its own philosophy," he emphasized on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Viñas has chosen to remain silent. Staying true to his belief that Masonic matters should be resolved within the order and not through the media, he has refrained from making public statements. However, for many masons, the current situation represents a crossroads: to accept the regime's intervention or to defend the autonomy and legacy of an institution that has long championed freedom of thought and moral independence.