Cuban Freemasonry Accuses Government of Financial Harassment and Persecution

The Cuban Freemasonry has raised serious concerns about what it perceives as government overreach into its internal affairs following an unexpected audit and subsequent legal proceedings over alleged "currency trafficking" at a nursing home supported by donations from Freemasons abroad. This accusation surfaced in a document unanimously approved by the Masonic Board that oversees the "Llansó" nursing home.

The report, accessed by CiberCuba, reveals that on July 1, a team from the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS), the Comptroller's Office, and the Association Registry conducted an unannounced inspection of the nursing home. During the visit, auditors demanded access to accounting records, vouchers, and details of foreign donations that fund much of the home's operations. "This is seen as a violation of the Board's autonomy and, therefore, of Freemasonry," the document states, emphasizing that the audited funds do not belong to the state and have been used solely to support the home.

The Board believes this scrutiny is a targeted attempt to discredit its president and undermine the institution's independence, which has long provided assistance to vulnerable seniors without state intervention. The inspection reportedly stemmed from an isolated complaint about the treatment of an elderly resident.

The situation escalated on July 9 when the home's director, Brother Raúl Acosta, was summoned by a lieutenant colonel from the Ministry of the Interior and informed of impending legal action for "currency trafficking," a charge carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence.

This latest onslaught adds to the institutional turmoil within Cuban Freemasonry since May, when hundreds of members ousted then-Grand Master Mayker Filema Duarte for attempting to extend his tenure. Despite the legality of this internal decision, the Ministry of Justice refused to acknowledge the process, supported Filema, and later installed a new Masonic leader aligned with the regime.

Since then, Freemasons have faced repression, police summonses, expulsion from temples, and threats of account freezes if they did not comply with state mandates. Nevertheless, they have continued to resist, even meeting in the street under the watchful eye of the police at the statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. "If the government wants to dominate us, we won't allow it," declared Juan Alberto Kessell Linares, the elected Grand Master.

This development comes just 24 hours after the Justice Minister, Óscar Manuel Silvera Martínez, publicly claimed on national television that the government did not interfere in Masonic affairs. "It's an intrusion into our private assets, which have never been used outside the benefit of the home," the text reiterates, arguing that all donations are documented through vouchers, accounting books, and Board authorization.

Challenging Decision: Returning Donations

In response to what it perceives as unjust criminalization of its management, the Board has resolved to return the donations received since March 2024 to each contributing Freemason as a means of avoiding further persecution and safeguarding the home's beneficiaries. "It's a very difficult decision that will harm the home's residents, but it's the way to prevent future unpleasant situations," the declaration laments.

Additionally, a new protocol was approved to prevent future state intrusions: foreign currency accounts will only be accessible to Freemasons with explicit Board authorization, access to accounting records will be restricted to the institution's president and accountant, and food brought from abroad will not be subject to audit unless for health reasons.

The Cuban Freemasonry, one of the country's oldest civil institutions, faces one of its toughest challenges amid an economic crisis, increased state control, and the criminalization of independent forms of solidarity management.