EDITOR'S NOTE: In a previous version of this note, CiberCuba reported that "The Grand Master and co-president of the Board of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, Mario Alberto Urquia Carreño, admitted to having stolen $19 thousand dollars from a safe where the Treasury of the Elderly Asylum of the institution was stored." However, the institution reached out to our media to clarify that this has not happened, and that it is an inaccurate and "inexact" interpretation of the note published on its official page. The erroneous information has already been corrected.
The Grand Masonic Lodge of Cuba denounced the theft of $19 thousand dollars from a safe where the Treasure of the Elderly Asylum of the institution was kept.
In a Special Report from the Masonic Asylum Board, the Powerful Sovereign Grand Commander for the 33rd Degree of the Republic of Cuba, José Ramón Viñas Alonso, stated that the incident took place in early January at the office of the Grand Master and co-chairman of the Lodge Board, Mario Alberto Urquia Carreño.
He had offered to keep the safe in his office, from where the money was stolen.
Upon learning about the incident, Viñas Alonso called for an emergency meeting to discuss the delicate matter. During the meeting, Urquía Carreño "stated that he was responsible for what had happened" and committed to "reimbursing the amount of stolen money."
According to the official statement, "upon learning that the Grand Master would soon travel abroad, the members of the Board recommend that he should not travel out of the country until this situation is resolved"; and initiated a debate about the reason for the delay "between the time of the incident and the information (notification of the theft) four days later."
The board lodged the complaint at the Zanja Police Station, in Centro Havana.
Initially, the safe was kept at the Asylum owned by the board of trustees in La Güinera, but due to the high crime rate in the country, they decided to transfer the amount to a safe at the Grand Lodge of Cuba with a sum of $19,000 in freely convertible currency.
However, during the transfer, the Grand Master offered to safeguard the resources of the Asylum, and shortly afterward, when the facility where elderly Masons are cared for needed to purchase food, the Treasurer and Viñas Alonso encountered reluctance on the part of Urquía Carreño to hand over the money.
Then, in a private meeting, he reported that his refusal was due to the fact that the money had been stolen from his office four days ago, for which reason the Board called an emergency meeting on January 10th, which finally approved unanimously filing a report to the police.
Once the meeting started on January 10 at 4 pm, everything related before was explained, and the Sovereign Grand Commander and President of the Board of Trustees presented two proposals: 1- To immediately go to the PNR and make the report as required; 2- For the Board of Trustees to prepare a detailed report with all the details of the events, for the general knowledge of the Freemasons," expresses the information.
Upon the Sovereign's proposal, the Grand Master requests a moment of silence in order to be able to replenish the money. The entire Board expresses disagreement and supports the proposals of the Sovereign (President of the Board). Both agreements were unanimously supported. During the meeting, the Grand Master (Co-chair of the Board) stated that he was responsible for what had happened and committed to reimbursing the stolen amount," the Lodge's report states.
Additionally, upon learning that the Grand Master would soon be traveling abroad, the members of the Board recommend that he should not travel outside the country until this situation is resolved. The members of the Board discuss why there was a delay of 4 days between the time of the incident and the information being provided. This document has been unanimously approved by the members of the Board present at the meeting. It has been reported that the complaint has been filed at the Zanja police station," he emphasized.
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