Cuba.. Accusing the former Minister of Economy of corruption and espionage | policy

Cuba’s top prosecutor has charged former Economy Minister Alejandro Gil and others with crimes ranging from espionage to bribery, in one of the biggest publicized corruption scandals in decades.

Gil was dismissed from his position by President Miguel Diaz-Canel in February 2024, and since then nothing has been heard from him, which sparked widespread controversy within the ranks of the ruling Communist Party and in the Cuban political arena, which is known for its extreme isolation.

Last Friday, the Cuban Attorney General’s Office issued a long list of charges that it said came as a result of an investigation that lasted for a period of time of nearly two years.

The charges included forgery of official documents, tax evasion, influence peddling, money laundering, and violating rules regarding confidential documents.

Gil – who was previously close to President Diaz-Canel – led a major monetary reform in 2021, which was widely considered disastrous for the Cuban economy.

Gil’s reforms caused high inflation rates, a decline in the value of the national currency, and many problems for government-affiliated companies.

According to the media, this case is one of the most prominent corruption scandals that have rocked Cuban politics since 1989, when General Arnaldo Ochoa, one of the heroes of Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959, was tried and executed by firing squad on charges of drug smuggling.

The statement issued by the Cuban Attorney General’s Office confirmed that the accused will be tried in accordance with the legal procedures in force in the country.