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Ex-Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Sentenced To Life In Prison For Espionage

Al Jazeera
11:46 AM, 12/09/2025
Ex-Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Sentenced To Life In Prison For Espionage

The Supreme Popular Tribunal has sentenced former economy minister Alejandro Gil to life in prison for espionage and handed him a concurrent 20-year term on corruption charges after a closed-door trial.

The court accused him of taking money from foreign companies, bribing officials, falsifying documents, evading taxes and mishandling classified information "made available to the enemy," though it did not name any foreign beneficiary.

Gil, sacked in February 2024 and once close to President Miguel Díaz-Canel, can appeal within 10 days; his case is the most prominent official prosecution in Cuba since 2009.

The Supreme Popular Tribunal has sentenced former economy minister Alejandro Gil to life imprisonment for espionage following a closed-door trial, and imposed a concurrent 20-year prison term on related corruption charges, the court announced Monday.

Charges And Court Findings

According to the tribunal, the corruption allegations against Gil include bribery, falsification of documents and tax evasion. The court said he received money from foreign companies and bribed other public officials to legalise asset acquisitions. It also accused him of mishandling classified information, claiming he "stole, damaged, and finally made it available to the enemy," though it did not name any foreign recipient or provide detailed evidence in its statement.

Background

Gil, 61, served as Cuba's economy minister from 2018 until his dismissal in February 2024. Once regarded as a close confidant of President Miguel Díaz-Canel, he remained out of public view after his removal until the start of the trials.

Context And Significance

As the public face of Cuba's 2021 monetary and financial reforms — including attempts to unify the country's currency system — Gil led policies implemented amid an ongoing economic crisis, supply shortages and a subsequent inflationary surge. The tribunal described his actions as an abuse of office to obtain personal benefit.

Court Note: The tribunal emphasised that Gil violated internal procedures for handling classified information but provided no further specifics about the alleged espionage or the foreign entities involved.

Gil has the right to appeal the sentences within 10 days. Observers say the case is the most high-profile prosecution of a senior Cuban official since 2009, when Vice-President Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque were dismissed amid allegations of leaked sensitive information.

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