Cuban Masons expel Mayker Filema from the Grand Lodge, imposed by the Government: Here’s how it happened

In a day marked by tension, dozens of Cuban Freemasons successfully expelled former Grand Master Mayker Filema Duarte from the building of the Grand Lodge of Cuba this Sunday, accusing him of having usurped the position with the support of the Cuban regime.

The events took place at the headquarters of the Grand Lodge, located at the corners of Belascoaín and Carlos III, in the heart of Havana.

There, an episode occurred that, for many within the Cuban masonry, represents a turning point in the defense of institutional autonomy against governmental interference.

"Out!" : The outcry of a besieged institution

A video shared by the mason Luis Rafael Zamora captured the exact moment when Mayker Filema, booed, had to leave the building amid shouts of "Get out!"

"This is the face of the dictatorship dressed as the Grand Master of the Cuban Masons, his name: Maikel Filema. He is worse than agent Collera Vento. Dismissed by the Masons, he clings to power with the support of the government..." wrote Zamora on Facebook alongside the images.

"Your betrayal, your lack of civility, your lack of morality, your ignorance. Your baseness, your lack of ethics. Your coarseness, your bravado do not represent us. In the eyes of the world, you will never be seen as a Masonic brother. You will only be remembered as a traitor to your brothers and your people," he added.

The Forced Entry: Hymns, Dignity, and Resistance

Previously, while singing the Anthem of Bayamo and chanting slogans like “Long live Cuban Freemasonry!” and “Long live Cuba!”, a large group of Freemasons had peacefully forced their way into the Grand Lodge after several of their own brethren had denied them access.

In the videos sent to CubaNet, it could be seen how at least five men, including the Freemasons Jesús Martínez Frómeta, Raúl Pérez Martín, and Rolando Céspedes Mena, positioned themselves in front of the door with a defiant and provocative attitude.

Despite attempts to maintain dialogue, the situation escalated to the point where Martínez Frómeta threw alcohol in the faces of some protesters, while Céspedes Mena tore the shirt of one of those present during the scuffle, according to the aforementioned outlet.

“We are not the violent ones”, said several Freemasons. “The building belongs to everyone; we have the right to enter,” they added.

Finally, they decided to move forward to the sound of the national anthem, sung in the lobby of the institution they consider usurped.

Inside the building, the same individuals who had blocked their entrance tried to prevent them from going up to the upper floor.

The tension had a backdrop: a session of the Upper Chamber had been called by Filema, despite having been removed from office on May 25.

With the support of the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS) and the political police, Filema had managed to maintain her de facto position, sidelining most of the lodges and suspending numerous brothers.

A power imposed from the outside

The outrage among the Freemasons had grown following the arrest the previous day of Juan Alberto Kessel Linares and Víctor Bravo Cabañas—acting Grand Master and acting Grand Secretary chosen after the dismissal of Filema—who were summoned and arrested at the Picota police station.

Although Filema attempted to justify the High Chamber's meeting through a statement, the summons to its opponents was dated July 4, indicating a coordinated strategy between the political police and the group that supports it, aimed at neutralizing internal dissent.

“Filema and all those who support him have been the worst thing that the Grand Lodge has encountered in a long time... It is the most anti-fraternal attitude I have seen in Freemasonry,” declared one of the participants to CubaNet.

"Not going to rise": The symbolic fall of the false leader

For more than seven hours, the masons maintained a symbolic blockade of the building, determined to prevent Filema from presiding over the session.

According to witnesses, he even went so far as to report the brothers to the police station in Zanja to request the intervention of law enforcement, while the building remained under surveillance by plainclothes agents.

At approximately 2:00 p.m., Filema tried to go up again. But the response was clear and emphatic: "She is not going up!"

Alone, without the support of his escort or the MINJUS, surrounded by a crowd of angry brothers, he left shortly after amidst insults.

An hour later, he went out again to announce that the session was suspended, but that he would not resign from his position.

A partial victory, an open struggle

Despite Filema's physical expulsion, the internal conflict within Cuban Freemasonry is far from resolved. The Grand Lodge remains occupied by its followers, backed by the regime. The Freemasons are aware of this and are prepared to continue.

Before leaving on Sunday, they agreed to return day after day. The decision is clear: to resist until not only the building is restored, but also the legitimacy of their institution.

At the end of the protest, pamphlets with an eloquent message circulated among the attendees: "Freedom for the Grand Lodge of Cuba."

With a valid quorum of 117 representatives and 121 members of the Grand Lodge, they succeeded in removing Mayker Filema Duarte, who had arbitrarily suspended the internal elections scheduled for March, in an attempt, according to the complainants, to maintain his position indefinitely.

The vote was clear: Filema had to go, and in her place, Deputy Grand Master Juan Alberto Kessell Linares was appointed according to regulations.

However, the State's response was not one of support for internal legality, but rather retaliation and delegitimization. The Ministry of Justice, far from mediating impartially, supported the expelled Filema and later, in an even more drastic action, imposed Lázaro Cuesta Valdés as Commander of the Supreme Council, replacing José Ramón Viñas, a critical figure of the regime.

This decision was accompanied by a direct threat: if the Freemasons did not accept the new leader appointed by the Government, their bank accounts would be frozen and they would lose their legal status as an association.

Despite the legitimacy of the act, Filema and her officials ordered the closure of all the Lodge's premises, forcing the Freemasons to hold their meetings in the street, in front of the statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, under heavy police supervision.

Since then, the members of the order have attempted to re-enter the Masonic lodges, but without success. During a demonstration in June, several brothers were detained and warned by the authorities, including Kessell Linares himself.

The Directorate of Associations of the MINJUS, led by Miriam García, has faced severe criticism for initially supporting Filema, despite the legal evidence presented by the Freemasons.

Recently, Deputy Minister Lilia María Hernández received a delegation from the order, proposing a new Masonic session under the leadership of the already dismissed leader.

Cuban Freemasonry, struck in 2024 by a corruption scandal involving its former Grand Master Mario Urquía Carreño, is now facing its second major crisis.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Crisis in the Grand Lodge of Cuba