Sandro Castro Addresses Alejandro Gil case, Criticizing Lack of Clarity
Sandro Castro, son of the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, recently broke his silence regarding the case of Alejandro Gil, the former Minister of Economy and Planning, currently facing serious charges. Castro’s comments center on the opaque nature of the trial and the accusations leveled against Gil, while stopping short of commenting on the guilt or innocence of the former official.
The trial concluded ten days ago, held behind closed doors with limited family access and no presence from autonomous media.Gil faces a lengthy list of accusations including espionage, embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, falsification of public documents, influence peddling, and acts detrimental to economic activity or contracting.
Castro’s remarks follow statements made by María Victoria Gil, the former minister’s sister, who spoke with Mario J. Pentón. Gil’s sister stated that “very reliable” sources confirmed the regime accuses Gil of spying for the CIA, a claim she deems absurd and which Gil “categorically denies, point by point.” She also praised her brother’s lawyer’s defense as ”brilliant.”
María Victoria Gil has publicly implicated Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero as central to her brother’s downfall, stating, “He is the person who has been in front of and behind all of this.” She further detailed a timeline of events, including Gil and his wife being held for four months in an operational house of the Ministry of the Interior before being transferred to the Guanajay maximum security prison, where visits are limited to 15 minutes every two weeks.She also asserted that the ruler “did not know anything” about the investigation, suggesting a lack of information reaching the highest levels of leadership.
Castro’s intervention highlights the unusual level of secrecy surrounding the case, a characteristic he suggests is typical of the Cuban judicial system when dealing with crimes classified as “against the security of the State.” He expressed concern over the lack of information available to the public, especially given the potential for a severe sentence - either life imprisonment or a symbolic sentence intended as a warning within the political structure.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of significant economic, health, and political challenges in Cuba, and has been met with official silence from state media, which have not published any details regarding the accusations or evidence presented during the trial.
