Cuba charges former minister with espionage

HAVANA, Cuba: Cuban prosecutors charged the country’s former economy minister with espionage and various other crimes including bribery, embezzlement and tax evasion, the attorney general announced on Friday.

Alejandro Gil, 61, served as minister of economy and planning from 2019 until his removal in February 2024.

Shortly afterwards, authorities announced he was under investigation for “committing serious errors,” without providing further details.

The attorney general’s office announced in a statement on Friday evening that it had requested the former minister and other accused individuals, whose identities were not specified, be held accountable for “crimes of espionage” and “acts detrimental to economic activity.”

It also mentioned crimes of “embezzlement, bribery, falsification of public documents, tax evasion, influence peddling, money laundering, violation of classified document protection regulations, and theft and degradation of documents or other items under official custody.”

No details were provided about who may have benefited from the former minister’s alleged espionage activities.

“Prison sentences have been requested for the accused, depending on the acts committed,” the attorney general’s office added, without specifying a potential trial date.