Cuba accuses former economy minister of espionage, other crimes

Cuba's top prosecutor accused on Friday former economy minister Alejandro Gil and unidentified individuals of crimes ranging from espionage to bribery, in one of the largest publicly disclosed corruption scandals in decades.



Sacked by President Miguel Diaz-Canel in February 2024, Gil has not been seen or heard from publicly since. The intrigue rattled the highest ranks of Cuba's ruling communist party and its normally hermetic politics.



On Friday, the office of Cuba's attorney general issued a long list of charges it said were the result of a nearly two-year investigation.



"Responsibility was sought for the crimes of espionage, acts detrimental to economic activity or contracting, embezzlement, bribery ..." the attorney general said in a brief statement.



Other charges enumerated were falsification of public documents, tax evasion, influence peddling, money laundering, violation of rules on classified documents, and theft and damage of documents or other objects in official custody.



The top prosecutor did not say how many others were accused, identify them, give a trial date or elaborate on the charges.



Cuba's penal code punishes espionage with terms ranging from 10 years in jail to death.