Cuba charges former economy minister with espionage
A significant development has emerged in Cuba where prosecutors have formally charged former Economy and Planning Minister Alejandro Gil with espionage and a range of financial crimes. The office of the country’s attorney-general announced that after nearly two years of investigation Gil and several others are accused of “espionage, acts detrimental to economic activity or contracting, embezzlement, bribery, falsification of public documents, tax evasion, influence-peddling, money-laundering, violation of rules on classified documents, and theft or damage of documents or other objects in official custody.”
Gil served as Cuba’s minister from 2019 until his removal in February 2024. His removal was originally reported as due to “grave errors” in office, in media coverage dating back to March 2024. The recent formal charges, however, indicate a much more extensive set of allegations than initially disclosed. Prosecutors did not specify which country or state actors may have benefited from the alleged espionage.
Under Cuba’s penal code, espionage can carry sentences ranging from ten years up to the death penalty. No trial date has yet been announced, and it is unclear how many individuals beyond Gil are being held or will be prosecuted. The case has stirred considerable attention because Gil was once a close ally of President Miguel Díaz‑Canel and spearheaded major monetary reforms in 2021 that some analysts believe worsened Cuba’s economic challenges.
This development is likely to have broader implications. It signals the Cuban government is pursuing high-level accountability for economic governance and national security breaches that until now have been rarely publicly acknowledged. It may heighten concern among international observers about transparency, the rule of law, and due process in the accusations and prosecution process. Observers will be watching how the trial unfolds, the evidence presented, and whether the accused will receive a fair hearing under Cuba’s judicial system.
