Cuban Freemasons rebel and disavow the Grand Master imposed by the Government.

The reinstatement by the Cuban government of Grand Master Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño at the head of the Supreme Council and the Grand Lodge of Cuba has triggered a wave of dissatisfaction among the Masons.

Urquía Carreño was reinstated in his position by the Associations Directorate of the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS) of Cuba, disregarding the majority's decision not to want the Grand Master in the position, after he had been accused of the theft of $19,000, which took place in his office in early January, and other actions that the Masons considered as "high treason."

"The Masons do not accept Urquía; many lodges are going to agree not to recognize him and make it known to the Registry of Associations of MINJUS," said a Masonic source who requested anonymity to the independent media outlet Cubanet.

The same person added that there is "a lot of confusion, but a unanimous feeling of rejection."

The Masons apparently are determined that if the Grand Master does not step down from his position, they will resign from their positions. Others want to gather in large groups at the Grand Lodge building to protest and demand Urquía's resignation, Cubanet reports.

One of them is teacher Karel Miralles Sánchez, who stood in front of the building of the Grand Lodge of Cuba as a form of protest, demanding that Urquía present a formal signed resignation.

"I am not calling for anything or anyone; I am driven by a personal situation, I am exercising my right to protest, one of the first rights that were granted to me when I started in this august institution," he stated in a video.

Another one of the sources interviewed by Cubanet considered that "if the majority of the Masons decide that we do not want him, he must step down. If the MINJUS considers that this is not the correct way to expel him, we will repeat the process right now."

He also added that "an overwhelming majority does not want the one who is materially and morally responsible for the loss of money donated to alleviate the situation of brothers in distress to continue leading our fraternity. Nothing imposed works in a democratic system like ours."

In line with that criterion, another Mason accused State Security of being behind this situation and considered that "it is playing with fire. Who knows if this could be the push that we, the Masons, need to definitively place ourselves at the forefront of the changes that Cuba needs."

Some workers from the Grand Lodge of Cuba presented their resignation as a symbol of disapproval, according to Cubanet.

In March of this year, Urquía Carreño was expelled from the semiannual session of the Upper Chamber.