Grand Master of Venezuela Assasinated

My brothers and fellows;

It is with great sadness that I report to you the assassination of our brother M.W. Francisco Pereiro Liz, Grand Master of Masons in Venezuela. Reports are that during an attempted kidnapping for ransom gone bad at his coffee farm in Barqisimeto, that he was shot and killed.

This is a translation from FRANCMASONERIA UNIVERSAL, which is a Masonic brothers blog in Venezuela, on the events that transpired in Venezula:

Very The Resp:. Great Teacher Francisco Pereiro Liz, tragically passed away, a victim of delinquents who burst in into their property, located in the city of Barquisimeto. According to the first obtained data, the M:.R:.H:. Pereiro alpaca, received two firings during an attempt of holdup/kidnap on his property. The Venezuelan Regular Masonería is united to the duel that obstructs the Masónica Family, and shows its grief to all NN:.QQ:.HH:. Receive your brothers words of condolence.

And the press release from the Grand Lodge of Washington D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Grand Master of Masons of Venezuela Murdered in Kidnapping Attempt; Condemned by D.C. Freemasons

(Washington, DC) – It is with great sadness that we announce the killing of Francisco Pereiro Liz, the Grand Master of Masons of Venezuela. He was shot and killed today (March 6, 2008) during an apparent kidnapping attempt at approximately 6:00pm Venezuelan time. The members of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Grand Master Francisco Pereiro Liz and convey their sympathies to the Freemasons of Venezuela.

“We are outraged at the murder of Grand Master Francisco Pereiro Liz.” Akram Elias, Grand Master of Masons in Washington D.C. stated. “We strongly condemn this murder and hope that the killers are brought swiftly to justice.”

The Grand Lodge of the Republic of Venezuela is one of the many Grand Lodges from around the world set to meet in May in Washington D.C. for the 9th World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges.

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The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons (F.A.A.M.) of the District of Columbia is part of a unique institution that has been a major part of community life in America for over two hundred and fifty years. Freemasonry is America's largest and oldest fraternity built on a philosophy of moral standards, mutual understanding and brotherhood.

Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia

I know you join me in sending our condolences to his family and to our brethren in Venezuela at the loss of so good and great a man as our brother Francisco... my lodge, Moreno Valley #804 dedicated our third degree to his memory Thursday night.

May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and all regular masons. May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue, cement us!